Sichuan Dandan Noodles 四川担担面sì chuān dān dān miàn

One of the most popular Chinese street foods originally from Sichuan. The noodles are served in a savory, spicy broth topped with crispy ground meat and peanuts. Simply stir everything together with a pair of chopsticks to coat the noodles with a bit of everything and slurp! The numbing, smoky, spicy sauce will shock your taste buds, leaving you craving for more! There are so many variations for the recipe. I am not sure this is the most authentic one but it is certainly the easiest way to put together a yummy and satisfying meal.

Serves 2 dinner, 4 for a street snack

 200g     dried Chinese flour-and-water noodles

For the meat topping:

• ½ tablespoon                   light soy sauce 生抽
• 100g                                   minced beef or pork肉末
• 1 tablespoon                   cooking oil
• 3 dried chilies, roughly cut
• ½ tablespoon                   mince garlic蒜末
• ½ tablespoon                   minced ginger葱末
• 2 tablespoons                 Sichuan Ya Cai宜宾芽菜

 For the sauce

• ½ teaspoon                      Sichuan peppercorn powder花椒粉
• 2 tablespoons                 sesame paste芝麻酱
• 2 tablespoons                  light soy sauce生抽
• 2 teaspoons                     dark soy sauce老抽
• 2 tablespoon                   chili oil (optional)辣椒油

2 tablespoons                  roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)

Chinese green vegetable (optional)

Method

1. Place minced beef/pork in a bowl. Marinate with light soy sauce.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over a moderate flame. But the oil is hot but not yet smoking, turn to medium heat, add minced garlic and minced ginger, fry for 1-2 minutes, add dried chilies until fragrant. This does not take longer than 2-3 minutes. Add Ya Cai and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add the meat and cook for another 2 minutes. The meat topping is done. Transfer it to a bowl.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over HIGH heat and cook the noodles to your liking, then drain them well – depending on the types of your noodles, the process takes no more than 10 minutes. You can use the remaining water to blanch the Chinese green vegetable.
4. Now prepare the sauce. Mix all the sauce ingredients plus 2-3 tablespoons remaining water used for cooking noodles.
5. Divide the sauce in the serving bowl. Place onto the equivalent noodles followed by meat topping. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
6. Before serving, give the noodles a good stir until the sauce and meat are evenly combined