Description
Dan Dan Noodles (Dan Dan Mian) is a classic Sichuan street food dish featuring spicy, savory ground pork served over noodles with a rich, nutty sesame sauce and preserved mustard greens. This recipe combines the bold flavors of chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, and five spice powder with tender noodles and fresh greens for a satisfying and authentic Chinese meal ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pork and Sauce Base
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 2 green onion stalks, minced
- 4 teaspoons sweet bean sauce (or substitute hoisin sauce)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/3 cup Sui Mi Ya Cai (Sichuan preserved mustard greens)
For the Dan Dan Sauce
- 1/3 cup sesame paste or tahini
- 1/3 cup light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinkiang Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon five spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, ground
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 3 tablespoons chili oil with chili flakes
- 1/4 cup warm noodle water (reserved from cooking noodles)
For the Noodles and Garnish
- 1 pound fresh or dried white noodles, medium thick
- 1 small bunch leafy greens (spinach or bok choy)
- Chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish
- Chopped green onion, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the Pork: In a skillet or wok, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and cook until browned and crumbly, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add Aromatics and Flavors: Stir in the minced ginger, green onions, sweet bean sauce, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, sugar, and the preserved mustard greens (Sui Mi Ya Cai). Cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid evaporates and the mixture is aromatic, about 3-4 minutes.
- Prepare Noodles and Greens: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to package instructions until just tender. In the last minute, blanch the leafy greens in the boiling water until wilted. Drain the noodles and greens, reserving 1/4 cup of the noodle cooking water.
- Make the Dan Dan Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together sesame paste, light soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, honey, sugar, five spice powder, ground Sichuan peppercorns, minced garlic, and chili oil. Gradually thin the sauce with the reserved warm noodle water until reaching a smooth, pourable consistency.
- Assemble the Dish: Divide noodles into serving bowls. Spoon the cooked pork mixture and greens over the noodles. Pour the Dan Dan sauce evenly over each bowl. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts and additional chopped green onion. Add extra chili oil if desired for more heat.
Notes
- Sweet bean sauce can be substituted with hoisin sauce if unavailable.
- Sichuan preserved mustard greens (Sui Mi Ya Cai) add authentic flavor but can be omitted or replaced with pickled mustard greens.
- To make the dish vegetarian, substitute ground pork with crumbled tofu or textured vegetable protein and use vegetarian versions of sauces.
- Adjust the amount of chili oil and Sichuan peppercorns to suit your preferred spice level.
- Using fresh noodles will give a more authentic and chewy texture, but dried noodles work well too.
