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Dan Dan Noodles

Springy wheat noodles tossed in a nutty chili-sesame sauce with savory browned pork, preserved mustard greens, and blanched bok choy. A 35-minute Sichuan classic.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Noodles
  • 12 ounces fresh or dried Chinese wheat noodles or fresh ramen noodles
  • 1 small head bok choy or baby bok choy leaves separated
  • 2 tablespoons salt for the pasta water
Sauce (per bowl)
  • 2 tablespoons Chinese toasted sesame paste (zhi ma jiang)
  • 2-3 tablespoons warm water for thinning the sesame paste
  • 2-3 tablespoons chili oil with the flakes
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Chinkiang black vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground toasted Sichuan peppercorns
  • 1 clove garlic grated or pressed
  • 1 pinch sugar
Toppings
  • 8 ounces ground pork
  • 2 tablespoons preserved mustard greens (sui mi ya cai) finely chopped and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 3 scallions thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts crushed, optional

Method
 

  1. Whisk the sesame paste with warm water, a tablespoon at a time, until smooth and pourable like heavy cream. Divide among 4 serving bowls.
  2. Add the chili oil with flakes, soy sauce, black vinegar, ground Sichuan pepper, garlic, and sugar to each bowl; whisk briefly.
  3. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Spread the ground pork in a thin layer and brown 2-3 minutes undisturbed, then break up and stir-fry about 4 more minutes until crumbly and caramelized. Add the Shaoxing wine, soy sauces, and sugar; cook 1 minute. Keep warm.
  4. In the same pan, stir-fry the chopped preserved mustard greens 1-2 minutes until fragrant and lightly crisped at the edges.
  5. Boil the noodles in salted water until just tender (fresh: ~2 minutes; dried: 5-7). Add the bok choy leaves for the last 60 seconds. Reserve 1 cup of noodle water, then drain.
  6. Loosen each bowl's sauce with a splash of hot noodle water, divide in the noodles, and toss until every strand is glossy. Top with pork, mustard greens, bok choy, scallions, and peanuts. Serve immediately.