Chinese · serves 2

Dan Dan Noodles

A sauce you stir up from the bottom of the bowl. Twenty minutes.

25 min Some work Non-vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 300g noodles
  • 300g chicken or pork mince
  • 2 tbsp chilli oil
  • 2 tbsp sesame paste or peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 cup greens
  • Spring onion, peanuts, sichuan pepper

Method

  1. Fry the mince hard in a dry pan until dark and crisp, 8 minutes. Season with soy. Set aside.
  2. Sauce in each bowl, not the pan: sesame paste, chilli oil, soy, vinegar, sugar, crushed garlic.
  3. Loosen with a few spoons of the hot noodle water until it pours.
  4. Boil the noodles, blanching the greens with them for the last 30 seconds.
  5. Noodles on top of the sauce, then mince, spring onion, crushed peanuts.
  6. Tell people to stir from the bottom before eating, or the first mouthful is plain noodles.

Questions people ask about Dan Dan Noodles

How long does Dan Dan Noodles take?

About 25 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is a bit of work. Most of that is active, so read the method through before you start rather than chopping as you go.

What can I use instead of noodles in Dan Dan Noodles?

Use any wheat or rice noodle. Rice noodles soak rather than boil, so read the packet.

Can I make Dan Dan Noodles ahead of time?

You can prepare it a few hours ahead and reheat gently. It keeps two days in the fridge, though it is best on the day.

Can I make Dan Dan Noodles vegetarian?

Yes. Replace the mince with paneer, firm tofu, mushrooms or soya chunks. All of them cook far faster than meat, so add them in the last five minutes rather than at the start, and keep the masala exactly as written.

What do you serve with Dan Dan Noodles?

Tell people to stir from the bottom before eating, or the first mouthful is plain noodles. It serves two as written. Double everything to feed four, but use a wider pan so the food still browns rather than steams.

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