Dan Dan Noodles

Jump to Recipe

A complex collection of flavours and textures come together in complete harmony in this delightful Chinese noodle dish which packs a fabulous punch. A Sichuan street food, these noodles are meant to be fiery; the Sichuan peppercorns bring a citrus hit followed by a dovetail effect across your tastebuds as the heat develops and slightly tingles in a very addictive manner. Balanced with nutty flavours from the sesame paste or peanut butter, the salty soy, a vinegar kick and some added sweetness, this dish is nothing short of spicy heaven.

There are so many recipes out there for this dish and in this one, although there are a lot of ingredients, I have tried to keep the work to a minimum, as well as offer options for some of the least common ingredients to make it accessible. This dish is typically served in layers – sauce, noodles, pork, toppings and you then combine it yourself in the bowl. I mix the pork and noodles before adding them to the sauce in the serving bowl, simply because it means there is one less pan for me to wash and, also, I have used fresh noodles to cut out a step and make it quicker.

Pickled Mustard Greens or Sui Mi Ya Cai are commonly served with the pork in Dan Dan Noodles. If you can get them, layer on top of the pork when serving. I was unable to get them but to be honest, there is so much going on, I don’t think the dish looses anything by their absence.

To make this a vegetarian dish, simply replace the pork with an equivalent weight of additional finely chopped mushrooms.

How to make Dan Dan Noodles

Collect all your ingredients together:

For the sauce:

• light soy sauce
• tahini (preferably Chinese) or peanut butter
• vegetable oil
• dark sesame oil
• caster sugar
• black vinegar or rice wine vinegar
• five spice powder
• garlic, peeled and crushed
• Sichuan peppercorns or ground Sichuan peppercorns
• chilli flakes
• noodle/bok choy or broccoli water

For the pork:

• trimmed spring onions, roughly chopped
• fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• garlic, peeled
• mushrooms, roughly chopped
• dark soy sauce
• hoisin sauce
• Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• sesame oil
• minced pork
• five spice powder
• chilli flakes

Noodles:

• fresh egg noodles (or use dried)
• Bunch of bok choy or tenderstem broccoli

For the garnish – these are not optional!

• salted peanuts
• chopped trimmed and sliced spring onions
• chopped coriander

Now, let’s make it!

First, start making the sauce:

1. Measure all the ingredients into a jug or bowl and mix.
2. If you are using Sichuan peppercorns rather than already ground, grind in a spice or coffee grinder and add to the sauce.
3. (The noodle or vegetable water will be added later.)

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Secondly, start making the pork:

1. Trim and roughly chop the spring onions, peel and roughly chop the garlic and ginger. Pu them all in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Remove and set aside. Alternatively finely chop by hand.
2. Next wipe and roughly chop the mushrooms and blitz in the food processor until finely chopped. Remove and set aside.
3. Mix the dark soy sauce, hoisin and Shaoxing wine and set aside.
4. Heat ½ the sesame oil a pan over a moderate heat and add the pork. Cook, stirring from time to time until lightly browned, 3 – 4 minutes.
5. Add the mushrooms and for a couple of minutes and until any liquid has evaporated.
6. Add the remaining oil and add the spring onion, garlic and ginger mix as well as the chilli flakes and Chinese Five Spice. Stir well and cook for a couple of minutes.
7. Add the dark soy sauce, hoisin and Shaoxing wine. Stir to mix.
8. Quickly simmer your chosen vegetables, and before draining, remove 1/4 vegetable water to add to the sauce.
9. Add the noodles to the pork, mix thoroughly and heat on a moderate heat until everything is piping hot.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Assemble the noodles:

1. Divide the sauce between 4 warmed bowls holding around 4 tablespoons back to drizzle on the top.
2. Divide the noodles and pork between the bowls.
3. Add the vegetables.
4. Top with the remaining sauce and add your garnishes.

Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.

`