Dan dan noodles
Dan dan noodles are wheat noodles topped with spicy minced pork, preserved vegetables and a nutty, tingly chili sauce. They are tossed together before eating.
Dan-dan noodles, Shanghai: Steven G. Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
The dish comes from Sichuan, where it was originally sold by street vendors who carried it on a shoulder pole. Its name refers to that carrying pole.
Explore the cuisine of China.
Recipe
Make Dan dan noodles at home
Ingredients
- 12 oz wheat noodles
- 8 oz ground pork
- 2 tablespoons Sichuan preserved vegetable (ya cai)
- 3 tablespoons sesame paste or peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon black vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chili oil
- 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 scallions
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
How it's made
- Brown the pork in a little oil until crisp, adding 1 tablespoon soy sauce and the preserved vegetable.
- Whisk sesame paste, remaining soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, Sichuan pepper, garlic and stock into a sauce.
- Divide the sauce into bowls.
- Boil the noodles until just tender and drain well.
- Place the noodles in the bowls and top with the pork.
- Scatter scallions on top and toss everything before eating.
Variations
- Soup version with extra broth
- Vegetarian with mushrooms
- Peanut-topped dan dan
Cook’s tip: Mix the sauce and noodles thoroughly; the sauce sits at the bottom of the bowl.
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About this page
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
Photo credit
- Dan-dan noodles, Shanghai: Steven G. Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)