Dan Dan Noodles
I love experimenting with dishes from other countries and one of my favorite cuisines besides Italian is Asian, which is probably why you’ll see quite a few Asian dishes here on the blog. If you’re a fan of spicy Asian food, then you’re guaranteed to love these Dan Dan Noodles. This dish is all about the layering of all the components. You first start off with a spicy, fiery red chili sauce, followed by freshly boiled noodles and topped with marinated stir fried pork with preserved mustard greens (Sui MI Ya Cai). Finally, you top off the noodles with some crushed peanuts and green onions. If you want more spice, you can throw in some more of the Sichuan red pepper powder. I, for one, am not someone who can handle really spicy foods, though I’ve tried to teach myself over the years to eat spicier and spicier. It’s worked a bit, but I haven’t really gotten too far. But this is what I love about this dish, you can add as much or as little of the fiery sauce as you like. While the list of ingredients may look slightly long, once everything is prepped and ready to go, this Dan Dan Noodles dish is quite easy and quick to make.
Ingredient Notes
Dan Dan Sauce
Tahini – I prefer to use a toasted sesame tahini, but regular tahini works too. Soy Sauce – I’m using both regular soy sauce (low sodium) and dark soy sauce. The dark soy sauce is to really add a darker color to the sauce so if you don’t have it, you can skip it. Chili Oil – I love this chili oil, it’s a bright red color and it’s spicy. You can find this in any Asian grocery store. Chili Sauce – I just used my favorite, Sambal Oelek but there are other brands you can use. Sichuan Pepper Powder – This is one of the key ingredients in this dish and it’s quite unique. It actually induces a tingling numbness when you eat it, rather than a fiery heat. This can also be found in all Asian stores.
Pork
Pork – You’ll need some ground pork for that authentic Dan Dan Noodle dish but can be substituted with ground beef or chicken. Hoisin Sauce – This is a fermented soybean paste and it’s salty and sweet, similar to an American style Barbecue sauce. You can substitute this with Teriyaki sauce. Ginger and Garlic – Essential flavor enhancers. Shaoxing Wine – It’s a Chinese rice wine found in all Asian stores. Soy Sauce – As usual, I like to use a low sodium soy sauce, but we only need a bit to add to the pork to marinate in. Sui Mi Ya Cai – Another key ingredient in this dish. Sui Mi Ya Cai is basically preserved mustard greens and they actually taste like a pickled vegetable. If you can’t find this, you can replace with some kimchi.
For Assembling The Dish
Noodles – You can use any kind of white noodles here. I used ramen noodles, but fresh noodles are typically used. Other noodles that will work are udon, even spaghetti. Bok Choy – Or other Chinese greens. Garnish – Green onions and crushed peanuts. Chicken Broth – You’ll want some hot chicken broth to add to mix with the sauce.
How To Make Dan Dan Noodles
Some Tips
More Delicious Recipes To Try
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