Dan dan noodles is a classic Chinese dish from Sichuan, which is noted for its spicy food. The heat here comes not from fresh chiles, but from chile bean paste.If you can’t find any, replace it with ½ –1 tablespoon of Chinese chile oil instead.
SERVES: 2
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 ounces ground pork
- ½ Tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
- ½ Tbsp soy sauce, plus extra to taste
- ½ Tbsp toasted sesame oil, plus extra to garnish
- Olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- ¾-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- ½–1 Tbsp Chinese chili bean paste, to taste
- Rice vinegar, to taste
- 8 ounces dried Chinese egg noodles Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
TO SERVE:
- 2 scallions, trimmed and shredded
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Marinate the ground pork in the Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Leave for at least 10 minutes.
- Heat a wok over medium-high heat and add a dash of oil. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 30 seconds to soften their raw flavor. Add the ground pork, along with any marinade, and the Sichuan peppercorns. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking up the pork until it’s colored on all sides. Taste and season with a little extra soy sauce if needed. Add the chile bean paste and a couple of drops of rice vinegar.
- Cook the pork mixture for an additional 2 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Add a couple of tablespoons of water and mix over low heat to create a sauce.
- Meanwhile, cook the noodles following the package instructions. Drain, then stir into the pork in the wok. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve garnished with drops of sesame oil, the scallions, and toasted sesame seeds.
