Dan Dan Noodles

The original dan dan vendors were a one-man kitchen: a bamboo pole balanced across their shoulders, a pot of noodles on one end and a pot of sauce on the other, walking their meal through the streets of Sichuan.

Dan Dan Noodles

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb ground pork, beef, chicken or crumbled tofu

• 1 tbsp chopped garlic (approximately 3 cloves garlic)

• 1 tsp chopped ginger

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1tbsp shaoxing wine, dry sherry or rice wine

• pinch of black pepper

• 1 tbsp cooking oil

• 2 oz Chinese preserved mustard green, chopped (You can omit this or substitute with any pickled mustard green or kimchi - after washing)

For the Sauce

• 1 tsp chopped garlic (approximately 2 cloves garlic)

• 2 tbsp tahini (preferred made with toasted sesame seeds) or peanut butter 

• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp dark soy sauce

• 3 tbsp chili oil with chili flakes

• 1 to 3 tsp toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorn

• 1/2 tbsp sugar

To Assemble

• 2 portions fresh egg noodles or spaghetti

• handful of yu choy, bok choy, napa cabbage or any green leafy vegetables

• 3 Tbsp sauce (approximately half of the sauce)

• 1/4 cup hot chicken or veggie broth

• green onion chopped

• crushed peanuts or sesame seeds for garnish

METHOD

• Mix all the ingredients for the pork, chicken, beef, or tofu except 1 tbsp cooking oil and preserved mustard green. Let it marinate while preparing other ingredients, about 10 minutes.

• Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a mixing bowl and set aside. This sauce can be stored in a refrigerator unto 5 days.

• Heat a wok over high heat, add 1 tbsp cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the pork mixture and stir fry until pork is fully cooked, no more moisture on the bottom and slightly have brown edges, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add preserved mustard green and stir fry 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and keep it warm.

• Cook noodles by following the directions of the package you’re using. At the last minute of cooking noodles, add choy or your choice of green vegetables into boiling water with noodles. Cook all together for 1 minute, drain

• Place half of the sauce (approximately 3 tbsp) in a bottom of serving bowl and lay the noodles on top of the sauce. Arrange the blanched green vegetable on top of the noodles, then the cooked pork mixture. Pour hot chicken broth around the edge of the bowl. Garnish with chopped green onions and crushed peanuts or sesame seeds. Mix everything throughly, enjoy!

Notes Toast Sichuan peppercorns on a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes or until you can smell the aroma. Transfer to a mortar and grind with pastel as your desired fineness. I like it to be more fine texture for this recipe