CAFé CHINA'S DAN DAN NOODLES
Also known as dan dan mian, these noodles have regional variations - you're likely to find a peanut-laden, vegetarian version in Taiwan - but this recipe comes from Café China, a beloved Sichuan restaurant in New York City. Popularized in Chengdu, this dish takes its name from the Mandarin verb "dan," which refers to how vendors once carried the ingredients, hanging from bamboo poles balanced on their shoulders. The dish builds on a complex chile sauce that is more rich and robust than fiery. Though the ingredient list is lengthy, the process is clear-cut: Get the water boiling for your noodles while you prepare the sauce. Sauté the pork, seasoned with suimiyacai (preserved mustard greens), boil your noodles, and dinner is served.
Provided by Alexa Weibel
Categories dinner, quick, weeknight, meat, noodles, main course, side dish
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of water to boil for the noodles.
- Prepare the chile oil: In a medium skillet, heat the 1/2 cup oil over high. Add the ginger, star anise, red-pepper flakes, ground chile, fennel seeds, cloves and cinnamon to a medium heatproof bowl. Once the oil is shimmering, about 3 to 5 minutes, pour it over the spices. (The mixture will bubble vigorously.) Set aside for 10 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing to extract as much seasoned oil as possible. Makes 1/3 cup chile oil.
- Prepare the pork: In a wok or nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil over high. Add the pork and cook, breaking it up the pork and stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add the suimiyacai and stir quickly until just combined. Set aside. (The goal here is simply to integrate the mustard greens; there is no need to cook them.)
- Once chile oil has cooled, whisk in the soy sauce, sesame paste and Maggi seasoning. Set out four individual serving bowls, and add 2 tablespoons of chile sauce to each.
- Once the water boils, add the snow pea shoots to blanch just until wilted, about 1 minute, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl. Add noodles to the boiling water and cook until just softened and tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water just to cool slightly.
- Using tongs, divide the noodles and pea shoots among the bowls. (It's OK if the noodles are dripping some water; a little extra moisture is ideal so the noodles remain glossy but not sticky.) Top each with pork mixture, sprinkle with sliced scallions and serve immediately.
- Mix the noodles to coat with chile sauce before eating, and serve with additional sauce at the table.
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666 Riders
[email protected]I'm not a big fan of spicy food, but I still enjoyed these noodles. The sauce was flavorful and not too spicy.
Hassenatu Fofana
[email protected]This recipe is a great way to use up leftover chicken. I also like to add some chopped vegetables to the sauce for extra nutrition.
Faruq Abdullahi
[email protected]I had a hard time finding some of the ingredients, but it was worth the effort. The noodles were amazing, and the sauce was so flavorful.
Sarim Boy
[email protected]The sauce is a little too spicy for me, but I still enjoyed the noodles. I'll probably try making it again with less chili peppers next time.
Goddess Smooth
[email protected]These noodles are so good, and they're so easy to make. I love that I can have a delicious meal on the table in just a few minutes.
Roland Williams
[email protected]I love how customizable this recipe is. I like to add some extra vegetables to the sauce, and I also like to use a different type of noodles sometimes.
Awais Sarwar
[email protected]I've made this recipe a few times now, and it's always a crowd-pleaser. Everyone loves the flavorful sauce and the perfectly cooked noodles.
Dard Creation
[email protected]These noodles are really easy to make, and they're so delicious. I love the combination of flavors in the sauce.
Asiko Wabito
[email protected]I'm not a big fan of spicy food, but I still enjoyed these noodles. The sauce was flavorful and not too spicy.
Seaera Ross
[email protected]This recipe is a great way to use up leftover chicken. I also like to add some chopped vegetables to the sauce for extra nutrition.
Yaharael Ashia El
[email protected]I had a hard time finding some of the ingredients, but it was worth the effort. The noodles were amazing, and the sauce was so flavorful.
Irfan Changazi
[email protected]The sauce is a little too spicy for me, but I still enjoyed the noodles. I'll probably try making it again with less chili peppers next time.
Ray Madison
[email protected]These noodles are so delicious and easy to make. I love that I can have a restaurant-quality meal at home in just a few minutes.
Ya Khan
[email protected]I love how customizable this recipe is. I like my noodles a little spicy, so I add a few extra chili peppers to the sauce. I also like to add some chopped peanuts and green onions for extra flavor.
Md Talga
[email protected]I've made this recipe a few times now, and it's always a hit with my family and friends. The noodles are always cooked perfectly, and the sauce is so flavorful and addictive.
yodanca merilus
[email protected]This was my first time making dan dan noodles, and I was really impressed with how easy it was to follow the recipe. The noodles turned out perfectly cooked, and the sauce was flavorful and delicious.