Dan Dan Noodles
User Reviews
5.0
156 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
604 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese-American Fussion
Dan Dan Noodles
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Recipe video above. The iconic spicy Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles, made at home! Am intensely flavoured spicy sesame chilli oil sauce tossed with noodles and pork. Don't be daunted by the list and steps, there's no need to rush. Cook and prepare all the parts except the noodles. Cook the noodles just before serving so they're piping hot because the idea is to toss hot noodles with the pork and sauce so the heat warms everything else up. That's the Dan Dan way!
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Ingredients
Dan Dan Sauce:
- 2 tbsp Chinese sesame paste (sub tahini, Note 1)
- 1.5 tbsp Chinese chilli paste in oil , adjust spiciness (Note 2)
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 3)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 3 tsp white sugar
- 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder (Note 4)
- 1 tsp Sichuan pepper powder , preferably freshly ground (Note 5)
- 3 tbsp (or more!) chilli oil , preferably Chinese (Note 6)
- 3/4 cup (185ml) chicken broth/stock , hot, low sodium
Pork topping:
- 2 tsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 7)
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (sub 2 tbsp extra chicken stock)
- 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder (Note 4)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 250g/ 8oz pork mince (ground pork)
Sui mi ya cai (preserved mustard greens):
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 30g (1/4 cup) Sui Mi Ya Cai (preserved mustard greens) , finely chopped (Note 8)
To serve:
- 500g/1lb white fresh noodles , medium thickness (Note 9)
- 16 choy sum stems , cut into 15cm pieces
- 2 green onions , finely sliced
- 1 tbsp peanuts , finely chopped (optional)
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Instructions
Dan Dan Sauce:
- Mix all ingredients except oil and chicken stock. Then gently stir in oil and stock - oil should be sitting on surface. Set aside.
Pork:
- Mix together hoisin, soy, Chinese wine and five spice ("Sauce").
- Heat oil in a skillet or wok over high heat. Add pork and cook, breaking it up as you, until it changes from pink to white. Add Sauce and cook for 1 minute, then transfer into a bowl.
Sui mi ya cai (preserved mustard greens):
- Return skillet to stove, reduce to medium heat. Add oil into middle of skillet.
- Add Sui mi ya cai and stir for 30 seconds, just to warm through. Set aside.
Noodles & choi sum:
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Cook noodles per packet directions.
- Add choi sum for last 1 minute of cooking.
- Drain.
Assemble:
- Ladle 1/4 of Dan Dan Sauce into a bowl. Pile in noodles, top with pork and Sui mi ya cai. Place choi sum on side.
- Sprinkle with peanuts and green onions and serve.
- To eat, mix it all up to coat the noodles well with Sauce, then devour!
Notes
- Chinese Sesame Paste - sold in Asian stores, consistency like thick honey, tastes like tahini (ie used in Hummus) but more intense flavour and slightly darker colour.
- Chinese Sesame PASTE is better than Sesame SAUCE as sauce is not as intense flavoured and not as thick. Dan Dan Noodles sauce is supposed to have a good sesame kick to it! Only got Sesame Sauce? Double the sesame in the recipe (yes, really).
- Sub 3 tbsp tahini and add 2 tsp toasted sesame oil. Last resort, use 3 tbsp peanut butter (yes, seriously!) plus 2 tsp toasted sesame oil.
- Chinese Chilli paste in oil - My favourite is Fuyun Xiang La Wang (chilli sauce) which is sold at most Chinese grocers. Use leftovers to add chilli kick to anything Asian, or for dipping sauces for things like Potstickers / Gyoza. Substitute any Asian chilli paste (preferably in oil), a plain chilli paste, sambal oelek, and add an extra glug of chilli oil.
- Light soy sauce - bottle will be labelled as such. Can sub with all purpose soy sauce, do not sub with dark soy sauce (too strong flavour).
- Chinese Five Spice Powder is a spice mix of (don't fall of your chair!) five different spices. It's a common spice blend sold at grocery stores (🇦🇺 Woolies, Coles).
- Sichuan Pepper - spiciness is numbing rather than the usual fiery heat of chilli, and a slight lemony flavour, common in Sichuan foods (eg Kung Pao Chicken). Available at Asian stores and some grocery stores with speciality spices (eg. 🇦🇺 Harris Farms), it's best to lightly toast in dry skillet then freshly grind your own if you can but for convenience, just use pre ground (I do this mostly). Substitute with white pepper.
- Chilli Oil - Bright red in colour, and as spicy as it looks! You'll find Chinese chilli oil in any Asian grocery store, otherwise, any chilli oil will do just fine. Restaurants use a LOT more oil than I do so feel free to up the quantity! Substitute 1 part sriracha to 2 parts oil.
- Sui Mi Ya Cai (preserved mustard greens) - find in Asian stores (is cheap ~$1.30), best sub is finely chopped kimchi. Don't fret if you can't find this, recipe only uses a sprinkle. It's Chinese pickled mustard greens (a type of green vegetable) from Sichuan. Texture and saltiness is like kimchi.
- Dark soy sauce - stains sauces a darker colour and has more intense soy flavour. Bottle will be labelled as such if it's Dark Soy Sauce. Sub 2 tsp normal or light soy sauce - pork will not be as brown.
- Noodles - best to use fresh noodles (fridge section), white medium thickness ie 3mm / 1/8" thick. If using dried, use 300g/10oz white noodles made with wheat and prepare per packet. White noodles is traditional (looks terrific against red sauce), but otherwise use any noodles you can (500g/1lb fresh or 300g/10oz dried).
- GENERAL NOTES
- This recipe first appeared on www.goodfood.com.au where I contribute recipes monthly. Reprinted on my own website with permission!
- Recipes referenced in coming up with this recipe include: China Sichuan Food and as always, the wonderful family at The Woks of Life to whom I credit much of my learnings of truly authentic Chinese food. I am a devoted fan girl.
- Nutrition per serving.
- Recipe as written is spicy but not blow-your-head-off spicy
- Reduce spiciness by using less chilli paste, Sichuan pepper and lastly, less chili oil (the oil is a key part of Dan Dan Noodles - look, mouthfeel and flavour)
- Pork amount is small - not supposed to be meat loaded, just a sprinkling. Can double pork (click Servings and slide to scale)
- Can add more steamed Asian greens to make complete meal
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
604cal
(30%)
Carbohydrates
56g
(19%)
Protein
21g
(42%)
Fat
34g
(52%)
Saturated Fat
10g
(50%)
Cholesterol
41mg
(14%)
Sodium
1364mg
(57%)
Potassium
333mg
(10%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
5g
(10%)
Vitamin A
460IU
(9%)
Vitamin C
8mg
(9%)
Calcium
48mg
(5%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 604 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 604cal | 30% |
| Carbohydrates | 56g | 19% |
| Protein | 21g | 42% |
| Fat | 34g | 52% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 41mg | 14% |
| Sodium | 1364mg | 57% |
| Potassium | 333mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 460IU | 9% |
| Vitamin C | 8mg | 9% |
| Calcium | 48mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
156 reviews
Excellent
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