Dan Dan Mian Noodles Food

DAN DAN MIAN

Steps:

• For the sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and reserve.
• Boil 3 quarts of water in a 6-quart pot. Cook the noodles for about 10 minutes or until al dente, rinse and drain well in a colander. Place the noodles in a large serving bowl.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. When you see wisps of white smoke, add the garlic and ginger. Add the pork, breaking it up and tossing for 2 to 3 minutes until brown and almost cooked through. Add the preserved vegetable to the wok and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan with sherry and add baby spinach, cooking until wilted. Then add the reserved sauce. Stir-fry folding constantly for 1 more minute or until pork is fully cooked.
• Pour the meat sauce over the noodles and top with scallions and Sichuan peppercorn powder.

DAN DAN NOODLES

Steps:

• To make the chili oil: In a small pot, add the Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon stick, star anise, and oil. Over medium low heat, slowly heat to 325 degrees, and then turn off the heat. Wait 6 - 7 minutes, then remove the peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and star anise with a slotted spoon. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and allow them to steep in the hot oil. It should start smelling fragrant, almost like popcorn. Allow the oil to cool. This makes more chili oil than you'll need, but you'll be glad to have it on hand for use in other dishes. Store in a glass jar and keep refrigerated.
• To make the meat mixture: In a wok, heat a teaspoon of oil over medium heat, and brown the ground pork. Add the sweet bean sauce, shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, and five spice powder. Cook until all the liquid is evaporated. Set aside. Heat the other 2 teaspoons of oil in the wok over medium heat, and sautee the sui mi ya cai (pickled vegetables) for a few minutes. Set aside.
• To make the sauce: Mix together all the sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning if you like. You can loosen it with more hot water, add more Sichuan peppercorn powder, etc.
• To prepare the noodles and veggies: Cook the noodles according to package directions and drain. Blanch the greens in the noodle water, and drain.
• Divide the sauce among six bowls (or four if you want larger servings), followed by the noodles and the leafy greens. Add the cooked pork and sui mi ya cai over the top. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts (optional) and scallions.
• Mix everything together and enjoy!

DAN DAN MIAN (DAN DAN NOODLES)

Steps:

• For the crushed chili oil: Scorch the spices in the oil by heating the oil to smoking, then adding the Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, ginger and scallions. Cook until burned black, then remove with a slotted spoon. Add the crushed red pepper to the oil and stir until aromatic. Let cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container.
• For the noodles: Cook the noodles in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid.
• For the meat sauce: Coat a large, hot wok with oil, then add the ground pork. Cook, stirring, until medium-rare; remove from the wok and reserve.
• Swirl some more oil into the wok and add the garlic, chili bean sauce and 1 cup Chinese Chiu Chow Crushed Chili Oil. Cook until aromatic. Add back the pork and stir to combine. Season with Shaoxing wine, chicken base, hoisin and some black vinegar, and continue to cook until the meat is fully cooked and the wok has an aroma.
• Season with Sichuan chili oil, black pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, and some of the noodle cooking liquid.
• For the peanut sauce: In a medium-hot wok, add the stock, peanut butter and vinegar, and mix until smooth. Taste and add more of each as desired.
• To finish: Dress the noodles with the peanut sauce and divide among 10 to 12 plates. Top with the meat sauce and garnish with the peanuts, sesame seeds and scallions. Serve immediately.

DAN DAN NOODLES

Steps:

• Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the pork, salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon, break up the pork into smaller pieces and cook until browned and the pork is no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Deglaze with the cooking wine, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the soy sauce. Stir to combine and cook until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Add the bok choy, season with salt and cook until bright green, the leaves are wilted and the stems are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Keep warm while you cook the noodles.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the noodles and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the noodles with a spider or tongs and place directly into the bowl with the Peanut Sauce. Toss to combine, adding 1 tablespoon reserved pasta water at a time, as needed, to reach desired consistency.
• To assemble, plate the noodles. Top with the pork and bok choy mixture. Garnish with a drizzle of the Chile Oil and the chopped peanuts.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the chile oil, peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey and a couple turns of black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
• Heat the oil and Sichuan peppercorns in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the peppercorns start to sizzle and become fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. In a small jar, combine the red chile pepper powder and salt. When the oil is hot, pour over the red chile and allow to sit and steep for a few minutes. Set aside.

DAN DAN MIAN - SICHUAN SPICY NOODLES

Steps:

• Combine pork and soy sauce in a small bowl and mix well.
• Heat a wok or large skillet until hot. Stir-fry, stirring with a spatula to break it into small pieces. When the pork is lightly browned, about 3 minutes, remove and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to boil. (This will be for the noodles.) While the water is heating, go to the next step.
• Reheat the wok (add oil if needed) and stir-fry the garlic, ginger, and onions until aromatic, about 1 minute.
• Add peanut butter, soy sauce, chilli oil, sesame oil, Sichuan pepper, salt, and chicken stock and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, when the pot of water has come to boil, toss in noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain well.
• To serve, divide noodles into individual bowls or put them all into a large bowl for sharing. Ladle the sauce on top, top with pork and chopped peanuts, and serve while hot.

HOT AND SPICY SZECHUAN NOODLES (DAN DAN MIAN)

Steps:

• Heat a wok over low heat and dry-fry the Szechuan peppercorns for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
• Add the peanut oil and cook over low heat for 10 minutes to infuse it with the flavour of the peppercorns.
• Cool, then strain the oil into a saucepan, discarding the peppercorns.
• Add the chicken stock, preserved radish, soy sauce, black vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, chili oil and white pepper to the peppercorn oil in the saucepan.
• Keep warm over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, either soak udon noodles for a few minutes in hot water, drain and add to stock mixture, or cook wheat noodles for 2 minutes in boiling water, drain and add to mixture.
• Heat the extra oil in wok over high heat and stir fry the pork til brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes.
• Divide noodle/broth mixture into four soup bowls, top with the pork and garnish with spring onion.
• Eat, slurp and make appreciative noises at will!

SPICY SZECHUAN NOODLES (DAN DAN MIAN)

Steps:

• Combine meat mixture ingredients in small bowl.
• Work together well and let rest while preparing other ingredients.
• Whisk together sauce ingredients except broth until smooth.
• Add broth and whisk well.
• Boil 4 quarts of water.
• Heat 12 inch skillet over high heat until hot, about 2 minutes.
• Add peanut oil and swirl.
• Add meat mixture and cook, breaking up into small pieces until pork is well browned, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add sauce mixture; whisk to combine and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium low and simmer while noodles are cooking.
• Just before serving stir in sesame oil.
• Drain noodles; divide into individual bowls, top with sauce.
• Sprinkle with scallions and bean sprouts as desired while eating.