Creamy, Spicy Sesame Dan Dan Noodles in 20 Minutes

ground pork

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground beef

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground beef is often less expensive.

peanut butter

🥗Healthier: almond butter

💰Cheaper: sunflower seed butter

Almond butter offers a nutty flavor with less saturated fat.

soy sauce

🥗Healthier: tamari

💰Cheaper: liquid aminos

Tamari is gluten-free while liquid aminos is often less expensive.

Sichuan peppercorns

🥗Healthier: black pepper

💰Cheaper: white pepper

Black pepper provides a similar heat, while white pepper is more affordable.

Gather ingredients including ground pork, garlic, lard or vegetable oil, chili oil, black vinegar, light soy sauce, tahini, toasted sesame oil, sugar, green onions, and baby bok choy.

Melt a little lard in a hot pan (or use vegetable oil) and add 115 g of ground pork, seasoning with a pinch of salt.

Break down the pork with a spatula and cook until it starts to brown.

Add 1 clove of minced garlic to the pork and continue cooking until the pork is browned and delicious.

Turn off the heat and add 1 tablespoon of shashing wine to the pan, allowing the alcohol to cook off while retaining the flavor.

In a bowl, mix together 2-3 tablespoons of chili oil, 2 tablespoons of black vinegar, 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 heaping tablespoon of tahini, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Optionally, add a few pinches of MSG.

Chop the whites of 2-3 green onions and add them to the sauce mixture, then mix until fully combined and taste for seasoning.

Chop the green tops of the green onions and set aside for garnish.

Chop a large head of baby bok choy into quarters, wash it, and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Season with salt and cover with cling film, poking holes in it.

Microwave the bok choy in 30-second bursts for 1-3 minutes until tender, testing for doneness at 1.5 minutes.

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the noodles. Add enough noodles for two servings (about one bunch per person) and cook according to package instructions, stirring with tongs to prevent sticking.

Reserve 1-2 tablespoons of hot water from the noodles to thin the sauce if needed.

Once the noodles are cooked, quickly split the prepared sauce between two bowls, top with half the noodles in each bowl, and add half of the pork topping.

Garnish with the chopped green onion tops and a teaspoon to a tablespoon of yatai (preserved mustard greens) if desired.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens