Description
Spicy dan dan noodles dance with bold Sichuan flavors, creating a culinary adventure that electrifies taste buds. Savory ground pork, numbing peppercorns, and silky noodles invite you to explore Chinese street food magic in one remarkable dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (225 grams) Chinese wheat noodles
- ½ pound (225 grams) ground pork or chicken
- 2 cups (150 grams) bok choy or spinach
Sauce and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons chili oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame paste or tahini
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) hot water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
Cooking and Garnish Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
- Chopped green onions
- Crushed peanuts or sesame seeds
Instructions
- Create a flavor-packed sauce by whisking sesame paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil, dark soy sauce, sugar, ground Sichuan peppercorns, minced garlic, and grated ginger in a mixing bowl until the mixture transforms into a smooth, aromatic blend.
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and cook the noodles according to package instructions, ensuring they maintain a perfect al dente texture.
- Drain the noodles thoroughly and rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process, preventing them from becoming mushy.
- Heat vegetable oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat, then introduce ground pork or beef, breaking it into fine crumbles and cooking until it develops a rich, golden-brown color and crispy edges.
- Transfer the cooked noodles into a spacious mixing bowl and generously coat them with the prepared sauce, ensuring each strand is thoroughly saturated with the complex, spicy flavors.
- If using meat, fold the browned protein into the sauced noodles, creating a harmonious mixture of textures and tastes.
- Elevate the dish by garnishing with finely chopped green onions and a sprinkle of roasted peanuts or toasted sesame seeds, adding a delightful crunch and visual appeal.
- Serve the dan dan noodles immediately while piping hot, allowing the intricate layers of flavor to tantalize the taste buds.
Notes
- Spice Adjustment: Customize the heat level by adding more or less chili oil, perfect for those who love a fiery kick or prefer a milder taste.
- Vegetarian Swap: Replace ground meat with crumbled tofu or tempeh to create a plant-based version that maintains the rich, complex flavor profile.
- Sauce Consistency: If the sauce feels too thick, thin it out with a splash of hot pasta water or chicken broth to achieve a silky, clingy texture that coats the noodles perfectly.
- Ingredient Flexibility: Experiment with different types of noodles like wheat, rice, or even zucchini noodles to suit various dietary preferences and add a personal twist to the classic recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg