Dan Dan Noodles
Cross-published at The Kitchn
Dan dan noodles are one of the great classics of Sichuanese cooking, and to understand what makes them so simple-seeming yet irresistible, we have to understand their origins. “Dan dan” comes from the vaguely onomatopoeic reference to a traditional street peddler’s shoulder pole (dan): a basket hanging from one end of the pole containing his pots and pans and bowls, another basket hanging from the other end containing his noodles and garnishes, all swaying and bouncing as he walks, calling out his wares.
Although variations of dan dan noodles can now be found across the world, Sichuanese-style dan dan is still defined by how the noodles were originally sold on the streets of Chengdu.
Noodles are served gan ban, or brothless, because it would have been unrealistic to carry so much broth around.
The meat topping is dry and crumbly, again in the service of being light on foot, but also to prevent spoilage during long, unrefrigerated days.
There are a variety of sauces, spices, and toppings to allow customers some variation to taste, but they’re all essentially condiments, sparingly used, as the dish was more of a cheap snack than a meal.
The noodles are thin and quick-cooking, because everything was assembled to order.
So, how did these peddlers manage to make a quick bowl of noodles taste so good? The key was in picking ingredients that packed a punch, such as Chinese sesame paste and Yibin yacai, and layering them to create something greater than the sum of its parts. My version of dan dan noodles hews closely to its Sichuanese soul and uses the highest quality ingredients to achieve maximum flavor.
Substitute, Don’t Omit
Dan dan noodles are meant to be adapted — even in Chengdu, every street stall and restaurant has its own secret sauce. But that’s just the thing: The secret is in the sauce. You wouldn’t take away any of the garnishing sauces from Hainanese chicken rice, and here, too, you should feel free to substitute but not leave out any ingredients. Balance is key to achieving the characteristic savory, spicy, and nutty flavors of delicious dan dan.
Yibin yacai, the fermented vegetable that flavors the meat topping, is made from the sprouting greens of one of dozens of cardamine species cultivated around China (cardamine belongs to the mustard family). In Yibin, a city in southern Sichuan province, yacai is double-fermented with sugar, giving it unique complexity. You can find “Yibin yacai” or “suimi yacai” (“loose rice sprout vegetable”) sold in the pickle aisle of good Chinese supermarkets, or online, but if you need a substitute, look for one of its cousins. Mei cai or meigan cai is another fermented mustard green from southern China, and xue cai or xuelihong from Jiangnan is sweeter but also reasonable. Zhacai is another Sichuanese fermented mustard, but I’d consider it a last resort — it’s typically spicy, which yacai isn’t, and it’s made from mustard stems rather than greens, which gives it an entirely different texture.
Chinese sesame paste should punch you in the face with its aroma when you open the jar — be sure to use high-quality, fresh sesame paste, as jars go flat when they’ve been open for a long time. In dan dan noodles, sesame paste adds background notes of nuttiness and overall body to the sauce without overpowering it. Tahini is much thinner, lighter, and sesame-ier, so I think a better substitute is a high-quality nut butter (the kind that has an inch of oil at the top).
Ground pork is the most common meat topping for dan dan noodles, but beef works just as well. Substitute a meaty, savory mushroom like shiitake or maitake for a knockout vegetarian version.
I add a small amount of gaotang, or Chinese superior stock, to my dan dan noodles to loosen the sauce and add another layer of umami. I recommend making your own so that you can achieve a concentration that store-bought stocks don’t have, but a good substitute is high-quality chicken bouillon (beef is too assertive).
Even if you don’t like your food Sichuanese-spicy, a little bit of chili crisp adds texture and flavor. In Sichuan, chefs closely guard their chili crisp formulas, many of which call for dozens of Chinese medicinal herbs. A good Sichuanese chili crisp should be vibrant red yet have depth and fruitiness, not just chili heat.
Shaoxing wine is used to tixian quxing (boost umami and neutralize stink) in many Chinese meat or seafood recipes. It does not come from Sichuan, where more local cooking wines would traditionally be used for dan dan noodles, but it is the most widely known and available Chinese cooking wine. The closest Western substitute is cooking sherry, but you can omit it altogether if using beef rather than pork.
Roasted peanuts work for this recipe, but cooking them slowly in oil, which toasts them all the way through and imparts youxiang, oil fragrance, is even better.
Although dan dan noodles are not considered a mala recipe, a small amount of ground Sichuan pepper (flower pepper) is called for. (Across China, ground flower pepper is more common than black pepper). You can buy pre-ground powder or pepper oil, but freshly grinding whole peppercorns is best. It won’t have the same tingle, but black pepper may be used as a substitute.
Do as the Peddlers Do
I’ve written the instructions of this recipe assuming that you’re making and serving the dan dan noodles all in one go, but the sauces and toppings can all be prepped in advance (as they would have been in the shoulder-pole days). This makes dan dan noodles an ideal weeknight dinner, as it only takes 10 minutes to cook noodles and assemble a fresh bowl. If cooking for a crowd, set out all the components buffet-style and let everyone spoon their own dan dan sauce, chili crisp, meat topping, and garnishes into their bowls and adjust to taste.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or homemade Chinese chicken stock (see Recipe Notes)
3 tablespoons light soy sauce, divided
2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as rapeseed or canola
2 star anise pods
10 to 12 ounces ground pork or ground beef
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
3 to 4 ounces suimiyacai (aka Yibin yacai) or other fermented mustard green
To assemble:
12 ounces dried thin wheat noodles
Handful of spinach or other dark leafy greens, such as yu choy (optional)
2 medium scallions (optional)
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
Chili crisp
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the dan dan sauce: Place 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or homemade Chinese chicken stock, 2 tablespoons of the light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoons black vinegar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns, and 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined. Mince 4 garlic cloves, add to the bowl, and stir to combine.
Heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil to a wok or large skillet over low heat until shimmering. Add 2 star anise pods and cook, swirling the pods occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add 10 to 12 ounces ground pork or ground beef and break until into small pieces with a spatula or spoon. Stir fry until completely crumbled in texture and uniformly gray, about 5 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium-low. Add 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine and stir-fry until all the liquid has evaporated and the pork is browned, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon light soy sauce and 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, and stir-fry until evenly combined. Add 3 to 4 ounces suimiyacai and stir-fry until the yacai is fragrant, about 3 minutes more. The mixture should be loose and dry, and the meat chewy-crisp. Discard the star anise and transfer the mixture to a bowl.
When ready to serve, bring a large pot of unsalted water to boil. Add 12 ounces thin wheat noodles and cook according to package instructions. Meanwhile, mince 2 medium scallions if using. Place 1/2 cup roasted peanuts in a resealable zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin or bottom of a pot.
Remove the noodles with a spider or tongs to a colander to drain. Add a handful of spinach or other greens to the noodle water and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain.
Assemble each bowl of dan dan noodles in this order: A few spoonfuls of dan dan sauce, chili crisp to taste, noodles, about 1/2 cup ground pork, spinach, peanuts, and scallions. Remember that it’s not a ragu — you don’t need to overload the pork and the spinach. Let it be a symphony.
RECIPE NOTES
Substitutions: For those with peanut allergies, look for a chili crisp without peanuts, and substitute toasted sesame seeds for the crunchy peanut topping
Make ahead: Everything, except the noodles, can be made several days ahead and refrigerated, covered, until ready to use. Meat and sauce should be brought to room temperature or warmed slightly in the microwave before serving.
Chinese-style chicken stock: Submerge 1 chicken carcass, or mix of chicken wings and pork bones, in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim the scum from the top as the water boils until the chicken is no longer releasing a lot of scum. Dump out the water, rinse the chicken, and add to a fresh pot of water along with 4 to 5 pieces of ginger. Bring to a boil on high heat, turn to low, and simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 hours, or until the stock has concentrated down to a quart of liquid.
Crunchy crushed peanuts: To take this recipe to the next level, fry your own peanuts instead of using roasted peanuts. Place 2 tablespoons neutral oil and 1/2 cup skinless peanuts in a wok or small skillet over medium heat. Use a spatula to constantly move and flip the peanuts, letting the oil penetrate evenly, until they begin to sizzle, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue frying until the peanuts begin to turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Turn off the heat and continue turning the peanuts for another minute, or until they stop sizzling. Let the peants drain and cool on a paper towel for 20 minutes before crushing.
Storage: If noodles have been tossed with the meat and sauce, leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.
