Dan Dan Noodles [Street Food Friday]
 
 
Author:
Serves: Serves 2
Ingredients
For the sauce:
  • 2 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1 tbsp szechuan peppercorns
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tsp sesame paste (get the Chinese one if you can, otherwise use Tahini)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp sugar
For the pork:
  • 1 tbsp peanut oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
  • 4oz (125g) minced pork
  • 1 tsp chinese five spice
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
For the noodles:
  • 6oz/150g chinese wheat noodles (or use Udon or Hokkien noodles in a pinch)
  • 1 large handful Gai Lan (chinese broccoli) or your favourite greens)
  • Coriander + peanuts, to serve
Instructions
  1. First, make the sauce. Place the oil and szechuan peppercorns in a small saucepan over a low heat. Cook until the oil heats up, and the peppercorns darken in colour - about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. When the oil is cool, stir the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl, then add your pepper oil to taste (add a bit, taste it, add some more if you want it). Divide the sauce between two serving bowls and set aside.
  3. Place a large saucepan filled with water on to boil for the noodles and greens.
  4. Place a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the peanut oil, the garlic and the ginger and cook until the garlic softens. Add the pork and five spice, and cook until the pork has all changed colour, and is just beginning to get crispy (about 5 minutes).
  5. Throw the noodles into the pot (mine take 5 mins to cook) and after another few minutes, throw in the greens.
  6. When the pork is looking really dark and crispy, season it with the sugar and soy sauce, and keep stirring. It should be very dark brown, crispy and fragrant.
  7. Drain the noodles and greens and divide between the two bowls. Top with the crispy cooked pork, some peanuts and coriander leaves if desired.
  8. Toss everything together when you're ready to eat, and chow down.
Notes
You want to time it so that your pork and your noodles are ready to go at the same time. The pork takes about 10 minutes to cook. My noodles took 5. So I started the pork, then about halfway through, put my noodles on to boil. It's better if the pork has to wait, than the noodles, because the pork really can't be too crispy, but the noodles will get gluggy, so work it out, based on your noodles' cooking instructions.
Recipe by The Sugar Hit at http://www.thesugarhit.com/2016/04/dan-dan-noodles-street-food-friday.html