Chinese
Dan Dan Noodles
★★★★½ (4.7)
Sichuan street noodles tossed in a nutty, spicy chili oil sauce and topped with savory ground pork, this bowl delivers deep, layered heat and richness in every bite.
- Bold, numbing Sichuan chili and peppercorn flavor
- Nutty sesame sauce clings to every strand of noodle
- Ready in 30 minutes with a genuinely restaurant-level result
- Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork, breaking it into small crumbles with a spatula, and cook for 4-5 minutes until browned and cooked through to an internal temperature of 160F (71C).
- Add the preserved vegetable, 2 tbsp soy sauce, and sugar to the pork, stirring to combine, and cook for 2 more minutes until fragrant and slightly caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In each individual serving bowl, add 1 tbsp tahini, 1 tbsp chili oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, a splash of black vinegar, minced garlic, and a pinch of ground Sichuan peppercorns; whisk these into a paste-like sauce with a fork, dividing the ingredients evenly if making all bowls at once.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
- Cook the noodles according to the package instructions, usually 2-4 minutes for fresh noodles, until tender but still with a slight chew; do not overcook or they will turn gummy and stick together.
- Just before draining, scoop out 1/2 cup of the hot noodle cooking water and divide it among the sauce bowls, whisking to loosen the sauce into a smooth, pourable consistency; this starchy water also helps the sauce cling to the noodles.
- Drain the noodles well and divide them among the prepared bowls, placing them directly on top of the loosened sauce.
- Top each bowl with a generous spoonful of the cooked pork mixture.
- Sprinkle crushed peanuts and sliced green onions over each bowl.
- Just before serving, drizzle a little extra chili oil over the top for those who want more heat.
- Instruct diners to toss everything together thoroughly at the table before eating, mixing the sauce up from the bottom of the bowl so every noodle gets coated.
- Serve immediately while the noodles are hot and the pork topping is warm.
Build the sauce right in the serving bowl and loosen it with hot starchy noodle water; this is the traditional method and gives a silkier sauce than mixing everything in a separate pot.
Toss the noodles thoroughly at the table right before eating since the sauce settles at the bottom of the bowl and needs a full mix to coat every strand.
Nutrition (per serving)
560Calories
24gProtein
30gFat
50gCarbs
3gFiber
980mgSodium
Nutrition information is estimated and provided for convenience only.
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