Dan Dan Noodles — Sichuan Style

Chewy noodles in a nutty sesame and chilli oil sauce, topped with crisp spiced pork and pak choi.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 40 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 400g fresh thin wheat noodles (or 300g dried)
  • 4 heads baby pak choi, halved
  • For the pork: 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 250g pork mince
  • 2 tbsp Sichuan preserved vegetable (ya cai), rinsed and chopped
  • 1 tbsp Pixian chilli bean paste (doubanjiang)
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • For the sauce, per bowl divided: 4 tbsp Chinese sesame paste (or tahini)
  • 4 tbsp chilli oil with sediment
  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
  • 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and finely ground
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
  • 8 tbsp hot noodle cooking water
  • To garnish: 3 spring onions, finely sliced

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat. Add the pork and stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and crisp at the edges.

  2. Add the preserved vegetable and chilli bean paste and stir for 1 minute until the oil turns red. Add the Shaoxing wine, soy sauce and sugar and cook for 1 minute more. Set aside, keeping warm.

  3. Mix the sesame paste, chilli oil, soy sauce, vinegar, Sichuan pepper, sugar and garlic in a bowl until smooth, then divide between 4 deep bowls.

  4. Cook the noodles in boiling water according to the packet instructions, adding the pak choi for the last minute. Scoop out a cupful of the cooking water, then drain the noodles and pak choi.

  5. Add 2 tbsp of the hot cooking water to each bowl and stir to loosen the sauce. Divide the noodles and pak choi between the bowls.

  6. Top with the spiced pork and spring onions. Toss everything together at the table before eating.