Ingredients:

  • 1 pound (450g) dried noodles (preferably thin, round wheat noodles)
  • 2 quarts (2 liters) water, for boiling
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable oil
  • 8 ounces (225g) ground pork
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) light soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) ground Sichuan peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) ground ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) light soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) Chinkiang vinegar or balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) sesame paste (tahini)
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) chili oil (with sediment)
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) reserved pasta water
  • 1/4 cup (30g) roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • Pickled mustard greens (Zha Cai), finely chopped (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Cook the noodles according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water before draining. Drain well and set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through.
  3. Add Shaoxing wine (or sherry), soy sauce, Sichuan peppercorns, ginger, and garlic to the pork. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Remove from heat.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar (or balsamic), sesame paste, chili oil, peanut butter, and sugar. Add reserved pasta water to thin the sauce to desired consistency.
  5. Divide the cooked noodles among serving bowls. Spoon the sauce over the noodles. Top with the cooked pork, peanuts, green onions, and pickled mustard greens (if using).
  6. Toss everything together and serve immediately. Enjoy this authentic dan dan noodles recipe!