Dan Dan Noodles

Sichuan street food — spicy, nutty noodles with seasoned pork and chili oil.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Chinese wheat noodles (or spaghetti)
• 8 oz ground pork
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• Sauce per bowl: 1 tbsp chili oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame paste (tahini), 1/2 tsp Sichuan pepper, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp cooking water
• Scallions, crushed peanuts, pickled mustard greens

Method

1. Cook noodles. Reserve cooking water.

2. Brown pork with soy sauce and Shaoxing wine 5 min.

3. Mix sauce ingredients in each serving bowl. Add a splash of hot noodle water to dissolve.

4. Add drained noodles to each bowl. Top with pork, scallions, peanuts, pickled greens. Toss before eating.

What You're Practicing

• The sauce is mixed in the bowl, not cooked — the hot noodle water activates and emulsifies it.
• Sesame paste (or tahini) adds the nutty richness that defines dan dan noodles.