Dan Dan Noodles
Spicy, nutty, savory Sichuan noodles that you can make in 20 minutes. This is the ultimate comfort bowl.
Main Dish · Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min · Serves 2 · Medium · By Tina · Published
Ingredients
- 250 g thin wheat noodles, fresh or dried
- 200 g ground pork
- 2 tbsp Chinese sesame paste, or tahini
- 2 tbsp chili oil, with sediment
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp black vinegar, or rice vinegar
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn, ground
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, chopped
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 tsp sugar
Dan dan noodles are one of the great noodle dishes of the world and most people outside of China have never had them. That needs to change.
The sauce is a powerhouse — sesame paste (or tahini), chili oil, soy sauce, Sichuan peppercorn, and vinegar. It is simultaneously spicy, nutty, sour, and deeply savory. Top it with seasoned pork and you have a bowl of noodles that is more satisfying than most things that take ten times the effort.
The Sichuan peppercorn is what makes it special — it creates this tingly, numbing sensation that is completely different from regular heat. Once you get addicted to it (and you will), there is no going back.
Pro Tips
- If you cannot find Sichuan peppercorns, toast regular black pepper. Not the same but still good.
- Chinese sesame paste is different from tahini — it is toasted and darker. Tahini works but add a bit more sesame oil.
- Use thin wheat noodles. Fresh if possible, dried is fine.
- Cook the pork until it is browned and crispy in places. Soft pork is wrong here.
Serving
Divide noodles into deep bowls, spoon sauce on top, pile on the pork, and garnish with chopped peanuts and green onion. Mix everything together before eating.
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