Dan dan noodles, a flavorful and spicy dish, trace their origins back to the streets of Sichuan, China, where they gained popularity in the early 20th century. Traditionally served by street vendors, these noodles are made from wheat flour and topped with a rich mixture of minced pork, chili oil, and various spices, creating a delightful balance of heat and savory depth. A fun fact about dan dan noodles is that their name translates to "carry the pole," referring to the way vendors would carry their noodle stalls on a pole, making it easy to serve delicious meals on the go. Today, dan dan noodles have transcended their humble beginnings and can be found in restaurants worldwide, adored for their unique combination of flavors and textures.
In the authentic recipe, Sui Mi Ya Cai is added. It is a preserved condiment from Sichuan, China, made from the upper stems of a variety of mustard green. They might not be available in your local supermarket, so I left them out in this recipe, to make this it accessible for anyone.
These noodles turned out amazing, so without further ado, let's get started!
Preperation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients minced pork
1 tbsp hoi sin sauce
1 tbsp of dark soy sauce
1 tbsp of shao xing wine
whites of 1 green onion
5 dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)
2 person recipe
Ingredients noodles
noodles of choice
2 tbsp of sesame paste
1,5 tbsp of black vinegar
2 tbsp of light soy sauce
2 tsp of chili oil (homemade is recommended)
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tbsp of five spice powder
2 tsp of sugar
150 ml hot noodle water
Green parts of one green onion
Instructions
If dried shiitake mushrooms are added, soak them for at least one hour in luke warm water before cutting them in slices
Cut the spring onion into thin rings and separate the whites from the greens
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Mince the garlic
Heat up a pan on a medium high heat with a tablespoon of oil
Once the oil is hot, add the minced pork and fry until brown edges start to form
Add hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, shao xing wine, five spice powder, shiitake mushrooms and the whites of a green onion. Stir well and turn the heat down to low
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Let a pot of water come to a boil, and add your noodles of choice
In a large bowl combine sesame paste, vinegar, light soy sauce, chili oil, garlic, five spice powder, sugar and loosen it all up with 150 ml of hot noodle water. Mix until well combined
Once the noodles are done, strain and save a bit of noodle water. Rinse briefly under cold water.
Add the noodles back into the pot and add the sauce and minced pork. Heat up the noodles on a medium heat until the sauce starts to thicken. If the sauce is too thick, add a little bit of noodle water.
Once the sauce is thickened, turn off the heat and plate up.
Top it off with the green parts of a green onion.
Enjoy!
