Dan Dan Noodles (Sichuan Noodles with Spicy Pork Sauce)
Local name: 担担面
In short: Wheat noodles tossed in chili oil, sesame paste and black vinegar, topped with crisp seasoned ground pork, greens and crushed peanuts. It takes about 40 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 665 kcal
Dan dan mian began as a street snack sold from carrying poles in Sichuan, and today it is one of the region's signature noodle bowls. The sauce is built in the bottom of the bowl from chili oil, sesame paste, soy sauce, vinegar and Sichuan pepper, then the hot noodles are tossed through it. A scoop of savory pork with preserved mustard greens goes on top, and everything is mixed at the table.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry the pork, breaking it up, for 5 minutes until the liquid has cooked off and the meat starts to crisp. Add the preserved greens, wine, soy sauce and sugar and cook 2 minutes more. Set aside.
- Stir the sesame paste with its warm water until smooth. Divide it among 4 large bowls, then add the chili oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, Sichuan pepper and garlic to each bowl.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the greens for 1 minute, lift them out and drain. Keep the water boiling.
- Cook the noodles in the same water according to the package, usually 2 to 4 minutes for fresh. Scoop out a cup of cooking water, then drain the noodles well.
- Add 3 tablespoons of noodle water to each bowl and stir the sauce so it loosens. Divide the noodles among the bowls.
- Top each bowl with greens, a heap of pork, peanuts and scallions. Toss everything together before eating so the sauce coats each strand.
Tips
- Short on preserved mustard greens? Use finely chopped pickled mustard stem or a spoonful of drained kimchi, or leave it out and add a little extra soy sauce.
- Make the pork and the sauce up to 3 days ahead. Reheat the pork and cook only the noodles at serving time.
Questions and answers
Are dan dan noodles supposed to be soupy?
The Sichuan street version is mostly dry, with just a spoonful of sauce at the bottom of the bowl. Some restaurants serve a soupier style, which you can get by adding more noodle water or stock.
What can I use instead of Chinese sesame paste?
Tahini works, though it is milder and less toasty. Peanut butter without sugar is the other common substitute. Thin either with warm water until pourable.
Can I make dan dan noodles vegetarian?
Yes. Replace the pork with crumbled firm tofu or chopped shiitake mushrooms fried until browned, and season them the same way.
How long does it take to make Dan Dan Noodles (Sichuan Noodles with Spicy Pork Sauce)?
About 40 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Dan Dan Noodles (Sichuan Noodles with Spicy Pork Sauce)?
About 665 kcal per serving, with 26 g of protein, 66 g of carbohydrates and 33 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 665 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 26 g |
| Carbohydrates | 66 g |
| Fat | 33 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 1500 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
