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Chinese Dan Dan Noodles with Chili Oil sauce

Chinese Dan Dan Noodles with Chili Oil Sauce

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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4 generous bowls

Equipment

  • Large pot for boiling noodles
  • Small saucepan to warm broth
  • Frying pan or wok for browning meat
  • Heatproof bowl for preparing chili oil sauce
  • Fine sieve or mesh strainer (for peppercorns or sesame)
  • Grater for ginger
  • Garlic press or knife
  • Wooden Spoon or Spatula

Ingredients
  

Noodle & Broth

  • 350  g 12 oz wheat noodles (recommend alkaline-style, but Chinese egg noodles work fine)
  • 4 cups chicken stock homemade preferred
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce

Meat Topping

  • 250  g 9 oz ground pork (or ground chicken or turkey)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce

Chili Oil Sauce

  • 3 tbsp Sichuan chili flakes adjust spice
  • 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 1½ tbsp ginger finely grated
  • 3 tbsp sesame paste tahini or smooth peanut butter as substitutes
  • 2 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar black vinegar
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • ½ cup neutral oil peanut or canola

Aromatics & Garnish

  • 4 scallions finely sliced
  • 1 cup cilantro roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp toasted Sichuan peppercorns ground
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Optional: blanched hakurei turnips or napa cabbage ribbons

Instructions
 

Prepare the Chili Oil Sauce

  1. In a heatproof bowl, combine garlic, ginger, chili flakes, sesame paste, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce.
  2. Warm neutral oil to just below smoking. Carefully pour oil over the mixture; it will sizzle and bloom. Stir gently until smooth and creamy.
  3. This sauce is the hallmark of Dandan Noodles—no shortcuts, please. Use quality soy sauce, and don’t substitute the sesame paste with peanut butter, which alters the nutty profile.

Cook the Meat Topping

  1. Heat vegetable oil in a pan or wok on medium-high.
  2. Add ground pork and break it apart with a spatula. Cook until browned and crisp, ~6–8 minutes.
  3. Stir in Shaoxing wine and dark soy sauce, cook 1–2 minutes more until caramelized.
  4. Set aside the meat in a bowl and retain any flavorful drippings in the pan.

Warm the Broth

  1. Warm chicken stock in a saucepan. Mix in light soy sauce and adjust seasoning to taste.
  2. Keep broth warm on low until serving.

Cook the Noodles

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil.
  2. Add noodles and cook per package instructions until al dente.
  3. Drain, rinse under cold water to prevent sticking, then portion into bowls.
  4. Toss noodles with a drizzle of chili oil sauce and a splash of broth to prevent clumping.

Assemble the Bowls

  1. Spoon 2 Tbsp of chili oil sauce into each bowl over noodles.
  2. Add warm broth to fill bowls ¾ full.
  3. Top with a generous portion of the browned pork.
  4. Garnish with scallions, cilantro, ground Sichuan peppercorns, and sesame seeds.