Dan Dan Mian
Dan Dan Mian is a deeply savoury noodle dish with bouncy wheat noodles coated in a creamy, spicy sesame-peanut sauce and topped with fragrant minced pork. Each bowl delivers a classic Sichuan contrast of nutty richness, tangy vinegar, fermented depth, crunchy peanuts, and the unmistakable tingle of Sichuan pepper.
Ingredients
Noodle and toppings
- 240 gfresh wheat noodles
- 120 gbok choy
- 25 groasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 20 gspring onion, thinly sliced
Pork topping
- 150 gground pork
- 35 gya cai (Sichuan preserved mustard greens), finely chopped
- 15 gdoubanjiang
- 10 mllight soy sauce
- 10 mlShaoxing wine
- 10 mlneutral oil
Sesame chili sauce
- 40 gChinese sesame paste
- 20 gsmooth peanut butter
- 25 mllight soy sauce
- 15 mlChinkiang black vinegar
- 20 mlchili oil
- 2 gSichuan pepper, ground
- 8 ggarlic, finely grated
- 5 gsugar
- 80 mlhot water
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. While it heats, wash the bok choy, finely chop the ya cai if needed, slice the spring onion, and roughly chop the peanuts. In two serving bowls, whisk together the sesame paste, peanut butter, light soy sauce, black vinegar, chili oil, ground Sichuan pepper, grated garlic, sugar, and hot water until completely smooth and pourable; the sauce should coat a spoon but not be pasty.
- 2
Heat a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the neutral oil and ground pork, breaking it up well. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the pork loses its raw colour and starts to brown. Add the doubanjiang and fry for 30 seconds to release its red oil, then add the ya cai, light soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine. Cook for 2-3 minutes more until the pork is browned, savoury, and fairly dry rather than saucy.
- 3
Cook the bok choy in the boiling water for 1 minute until just tender-crisp, then lift it out and divide between the bowls. In the same water, cook the fresh wheat noodles according to their thickness, usually 2-3 minutes, until springy and just cooked. Reserve a few spoonfuls of noodle water if the sauce needs loosening.
- 4
Drain the noodles well and immediately divide them between the bowls. Toss each portion thoroughly with the sauce from the bottom of the bowl so every strand is coated; add a splash of noodle water only if needed to loosen. Spoon the pork topping over the noodles, then finish with chopped peanuts and spring onion.
- 5
Serve at once, mixing the toppings through at the table before eating. The ideal balance is numbing, spicy, nutty, savoury, and lightly tangy.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Fresh alkaline wheat noodles give the best chewy texture; if using dried noodles, use about 180 g and boil a little longer.
- •Chinese sesame paste is stronger and toastier than tahini; if substituting tahini, add an extra 5 ml chili oil for depth.
- •Ya cai is salty, so taste the pork before adding any extra soy sauce.
- •For a more authentic restaurant-style bowl, add 1-2 teaspoons extra chili oil per serving at the table.
Background
Dan Dan Mian comes from Sichuan, where it was traditionally sold by street vendors carrying noodles and sauce on shoulder poles called dan dan. The dish is famous for its layered mala character, combining chili heat and the citrusy numbness of Sichuan pepper with preserved vegetables, minced meat, and a rich sesame-based sauce.
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