Description
A classic Sichuan street food dish, Dan Dan Noodles (Dan Dan Mian) features spicy, savory ground pork served over tender noodles with a rich sesame and chili oil sauce, garnished with crunchy peanuts and fresh greens, delivering bold and complex flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 2 green onion stalks, minced
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
Sauce Ingredients
- 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)
- 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
- 3 tablespoons chili oil with chili flakes
Noodles and Garnishes
- 1/4 cup warm noodle water (reserved)
- 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 Pork: In a skillet or wok, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and cook until browned and fragrant. Stir in minced ginger, green onion, sweet bean sauce, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, sugar, and Sichuan preserved mustard greens. Continue stirring until the liquid evaporates and the mixture is well combined.
- Prepare Noodles and Greens: While the pork cooks, boil the noodles according to package instructions until al dente. At the same time, blanch the leafy greens briefly in boiling water until just wilted. Reserve 1/4 cup of the warm noodle cooking water before draining the noodles.
- Make Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the sesame paste, light soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, honey, sugar, five spice powder, ground Sichuan peppercorns, minced garlic, and chili oil with chili flakes. Adjust the consistency by thinning the sauce with the reserved warm noodle water until smooth and pourable.
- Assemble Dish: Divide the cooked noodles among serving bowls. Top with the cooked pork mixture and blanched greens. Pour the prepared sauce over the noodles and toss gently to combine.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped roasted peanuts and chopped green onions over each bowl. Add additional chili oil if desired for extra heat. Serve immediately and enjoy the bold flavors.
Notes
- Sui Mi Ya Cai (Sichuan preserved mustard greens) can be substituted with pickled mustard greens if unavailable.
- Adjust chili oil quantity according to your spice tolerance.
- For vegetarian version, substitute ground pork with minced mushrooms or textured vegetable protein and use vegetarian bean sauce.
- Use fresh noodles if possible for best texture; dried noodles are a good alternative.
