Dan Dan Noodles
Dan Dan noodles have it all! A pile of bouncy, chewy noodles and a meaty, peanutty sauce with flavor for days. My version includes some greenery with baby bok choy, and it’s based on a recipe my mom used to make. It’s a Chinese Sichuan dish, and it’s heavy on the chile oil.
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet or Wok Essential for browning pork and cooking bok choy efficiently.
- 1 Wooden Spoon or Spatula For breaking up pork and stirring ingredients.
- 1 Large Pot Needed for boiling noodles.
- 1 Tongs or spider skimmer For safely transferring noodles from boiling water to sauce.
- 2 Mixing Bowls One for preparing the peanut sauce, another for tossing noodles.
Ingredients
Main
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing cooking wine or substitute sherry cooking wine
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 8 ounces baby bok choy rinsed, ends trimmed, and halved
- 1 pound fresh ramen-style egg noodles
- Peanut Sauce recipe follows
- Chile Oil recipe follows
- Chopped roasted unsalted peanuts, for serving
- 1/4 cup 56 grams chile oil, store-bought or recipe below
- 1/4 cup 70 grams creamy, unsweetened peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup 226 grams neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns crushed
- 1/4 cup 32 grams coarse red chile pepper powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the pork, salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon, break up the pork into smaller pieces and cook until browned and the pork is no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Deglaze with the cooking wine, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the soy sauce. Stir to combine and cook until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Add the bok choy, season with salt and cook until bright green, the leaves are wilted and the stems are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Keep warm while you cook the noodles.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the noodles and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the noodles with a spider or tongs and place directly into the bowl with the Peanut Sauce. Toss to combine, adding 1 tablespoon reserved pasta water at a time, as needed, to reach desired consistency.
- To assemble, plate the noodles. Top with the pork and bok choy mixture. Garnish with a drizzle of the Chile Oil and the chopped peanuts.
Notes
Achieving the right 'ma la' (numbing and spicy) balance is key for authentic Dan Dan noodles. If making homemade chile oil, ensure the Sichuan peppercorns are freshly crushed for maximum aroma and numbing sensation. When cooking the pork, achieve a good sear to develop deep, savory notes; deglazing with Shaoxing wine will capture all those flavorful browned bits. For the noodles, cook them just to al dente, as they will continue to absorb some sauce. Transferring them directly from the pot to the sauce bowl, along with a tablespoon or two of reserved pasta water, helps create a silky, emulsified sauce that clings beautifully to the noodles. Don't overcook the bok choy; it should remain bright green with a slight crunch for textural contrast. Always taste and adjust seasoning, especially the chile oil and soy sauce, before serving.