Name: Dan-Dan Noodles
Prep time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: ½ cup vegetable or peanut oil; 1 tbsp whole Sichuan peppercorns; 1 piece 1/2-inch long Chinese cinnamon or regular cinnamon stick; 1 star anise pod; 2 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes; 3 tbsp light soy sauce; 2 tbsp tahini; 2 tsp superfine sugar; ¼ tsp Chinese five-spice powder; ½ tsp whole Sichuan peppercorns, finely ground in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder; 2 cloves garlic, very finely minced; ¼ cup Homemade Chile Oil; 1 lb(s) fresh Chinese wheat noodles, medium thickness (or dried Chinese egg noodles); 2 head baby bok choy, leaves separated, optional; 1 tsp Homemade Chili Oil; 3 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil; ½ lb(s) ground pork; 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine; 2 tsp hoisin sauce; 1 tsp dark soy sauce; ⅓ cup sui mi ya cai, optional (see Cook's Note); 3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)

Prep Time

35 min

Yields

6 servings

This is a traditional version of the spicy Sichuan noodle dish. Taking the time to make your own fragrant chile oil is worth it. The recipe yields more oil than you need for this dish; save it to drizzle on eggs, rice dishes or anything else that needs a little kick.

ingredients

Homemade Chile Oil

cup vegetable or peanut oil

tbsp whole Sichuan peppercorns

piece 1/2-inch long Chinese cinnamon or regular cinnamon stick

star anise pod

tbsp crushed red pepper flakes

Sauce

tbsp light soy sauce

tbsp tahini

tsp superfine sugar

tsp Chinese five-spice powder

tsp whole Sichuan peppercorns, finely ground in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder

cloves garlic, very finely minced

cup Homemade Chile Oil

Noodles

lb(s) fresh Chinese wheat noodles, medium thickness (or dried Chinese egg noodles)

head baby bok choy, leaves separated, optional

tsp Homemade Chili Oil

tbsp vegetable or peanut oil

lb(s) ground pork

tbsp Shaoxing wine

tsp hoisin sauce

tsp dark soy sauce

⅓

cup sui mi ya cai, optional (see Cook's Note)

scallions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

directions

Notes

Cook’s Note: Sui mi ya cai are chopped, fermented mustard greens. Find them online or at most Asian markets. They also go by the name ya cai. If none are available you can make the dish without them.

Step 1

For the chile oil: Heat the oil, Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon stick and star anise in a small pot over medium-low heat until it reaches 325ºF, then remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and star anise with a slotted spoon and discard, then stir in the crushed red pepper flakes. Set the oil aside to cool.

Step 2

For the sauce: Whisk together the soy sauce, sesame paste, sugar, five-spice powder, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic and 1/4 cup of the chile oil in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1/3 cup hot water and set aside.

Step 3

For the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package directions, adding the bok choy, if using, for the last minute of cooking time. Drain in a colander and rinse well under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Toss the noodles with 1 teaspoon of the reserved chile oil and set aside.

Step 4

Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil in a seasoned wok over high heat until shimmering. Add the pork and cook, stirring and breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the Shaoxing wine, hoisin sauce and dark soy sauce and cook until all the liquid is evaporated and the pork is crispy, about 3 minutes. Add the sui mi ya cai, if using, and cook until it starts to sizzle, about 2 minutes. (Otherwise, remove from the heat after the pork is crispy.) Remove from the heat and add the reserved noodles and sauce to the wok, tossing well to coat. Place in a serving bowl, top with scallions and serve immediately.

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