LostPlateWhiteHeader

Dan Dan Noodle Recipe

Dan Dan Noodle Recipe

Pin it

Share it

This is an authentic recipe from our team in China, featured in our Sichuan Recipe Box. The ingredients labeled with a * below are hard-to-find ingredients that we’ve sourced from China and are all included in our recipe box which is available for shipping throughout the USA and China. For more information and to purchase online, click here.

The Story of Dan Dan Noodles​

Few dishes can claim a greater status to street food royalty than Dan Dan Noodles. The words Dan Dan refers to the bamboo carrying pole street hawkers would wear around their shoulders. The visual of a hawker with a pole strapped across their shoulders balancing massive bowls are a quintessential element of Asia’s collective memory – for this recipe to be known as the hawker noodles should be an impossible feat. Yet it’s an incredible balance of flavors, textures, and colors has made it the ultimate street noodle in the imagination of a 4000-year-old food culture. Dance with us in that thought for a while.

Dan-Dan-Noodle-Hawker

The anonymous nature of its humble origins makes it hard to trace in official records. Legend has it that it was created by a hawker named Chen Babao in 1841 who migrated from his home village to the Sichuan city of Zigong for better opportunities. Witnessing dan-dan hawkers on his way, he decides to also sell noodles, using his best home recipe

In a true hawker fashion, the dish masters humble ingredients and creates luxurious flavors almost out of thin air. Homemade infused oils and fatty sesame pastes are balanced with the acidic vinegar and served atop perfectly hand-made springy noodles. As this is a hawker recipe, it is done by individual servings, which ensures each bowl has the correct amount of every flavor and spice.

The noodles are served “dry” without a soup, so hawkers could carry more servings on their shoulders at a time. The mountainous landscape of this area prevented a lot of fresh vegetables year-round or livestock-rearing, which is reflected in the simple recipe. It’s likely that the recipe didn’t receive the mince-meat topping until it entered the wealthier region of Chengdu. Though there are endless variants of Dan Dan Noodles, we’ve created our own recipe that captures the true street-flavors in Chengdu – just like we enjoy on our Chengdu Food Tour. If you’re ever in town, check it out.

Recipe Note:

Just like local restaurants in Chengdu, we always prepare bowls of noodles individually to ensure every serving has the correct amount of flavors and spices. If you’re making these noodles for more than one person, prepare the sauce in separate bowls for each person. Adjust the meat and noodle portions depending on how many bowls you are making. The recipe below is for each bowl, other than the chili oil which prepares a plentiful bowl of chili you’ll be able to keep in your refrigerator for weeks.

Many recipes online say that just about any wheat-based dried noodle will do. They’re lying, and they don’t care about you. Don’t bring spaghetti to a knife fight. In a dish as layered, nuanced, and close-to-the-heart as Dan Dan noodles, you can’t underscore such a central component of the dish. We’ve provided the real deal in your box- if you run out you can always message us for a top-up. The texture of the noodles, the way its surface binds to the sauces, how it’s bite contrasts with the rest of the toppings – not something to mess about with. Everyone in their heart has a dish that needs to be done right, every single time. Make some room in there, because this is definitely one of them.

Serves 1 bowl (each bowl should be prepared separately)
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Skill Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

Items marked with a * are included in our Sichuan Recipe Box.

For the Chili Oil:

1 cup cooking oil (we always use canola oil, but soy or peanut oil also works well)

2 thin slices of ginger, about a 1cm knob

1 green onion

1/2 tsp whole Sichuan peppercorn*

1 whole star anise*

1 cinnamon stick*

1/3 cup chili powder/flakes*

1 tsp sesame seeds

1/2 tsp five-spice powder*

For the Meat:

2 Tbsp cooking oil

4 oz or 120g ground pork

1 tsp cooking wine

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp five-spice powder *

For the sauce:

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp sesame paste*

2 tsp sugar

½ to 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder * (adjust amount based on your spice level) 

1 ½ Tbsp of your prepared chili oil (adjust the amount base on your spice level)

1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic

1/2 cup hot cooking water from the noodles

For the Noodles & Veggies:

200g / 7oz fresh or dried white Dan Dan noodles *

1 small bunch leafy greens (spinach, bok choy, or choy sum)

2 Tbsp chopped peanuts

1 Tbsp chopped green onion for garnishing (optional)

Directions

  1. To make the chili oil: In a small pot, add oil, ginger, green onions, Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Over medium heat, slowly fry until the ingredients turn brown, and then turn off the heat. Remove the peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and star anise from the oil. Pour hot oil on top of the cup of chili powder/flakes, five-spice powder, and sesame seeds. Chili oil should be kept in a glass jar and refrigerated for future use once cooled.
  2. To make the meat mixture: In a wok, heat the oil over medium heat, and brown the ground pork. Add the cooking wine, soy sauce, and five-spice powder, cook for 2 minutes, and then set the entire meat mixture aside.
  3. To make the sauce: Mix together all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning if you like. You can thin it with more hot water, add more Sichuan peppercorn powder, etc. Note that the meat is already seasoned as you make adjustments.
  4. To prepare the noodles and veggies, boil the water first, add some oil and salt to the water to prevent sticking. Add dry noodles and veggies in the water over high heat. When the water reaches a boil again, add another cup of cool water to stop the boiling. Wait until the water reaches a boil again, turn off the heat, and drain the noodles and veggies.
  5. Add the cooked noodles and veggies to the sauce bowl. Add the cooked pork mixture over the top. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and green onions (optional, but highly recommended).
  6. Mix everything well and enjoy!

Watch

Other Recipes From Our Sichuan Recipe Box:

Mapo Tofu
2 Reviews
5/5

Featured in Our Sichuan Recipe Box

Spicy, Authentic Family Recipe
| 30 mins
Sichuan Dry Pot
2 Reviews
5/5

Featured in Our Sichuan Recipe Box

Spicy, Quick & Easy
| 45 mins
Sichuan Steamed Chicken in Chili Sauce
3 Reviews
5/5

Featured in Our Sichuan Recipe Box

Spicy, Great for Hosting
| 35 mins

Recipe Reviews & Comments

{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }}
{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }}
{{ options.labels.newReviewButton }}
{{ userData.canReview.message }}

Sign up for more recipes!

Email Us!

We’ll get back to you in less than 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Phone / SMS / WHATSAPP:

China & Cambodia: +86 156 9210 9030

USA: +1 503 409 5593

Email:

info@lostplate.com

WeChat:

Lostplate WeChat