Chinese Sichuan Dry-Fried Dan Dan Noodles

Ingredients

• 200 g Dan dan noodles (or wheat noodles/ramen noodles)
• 150 g Ground pork
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 tbsp Neutral oil (peanut/canola)
• 1.5 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar (or rice vinegar)
• 1.5 tbsp Chinese chili paste with garlic (doubanjiang)
• 1 tbsp Spicy chili oil (or extra doubanjiang)
• 1.5 tbsp Creamy sesame paste (tahini or Chinese sesame paste)
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 3 tbsp Chicken stock (or water)
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Ginger
• 3 stalks Scallions
• 1 tbsp Lime juice
• 0.5 tsp Lime zest(optional)
• 1 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp Crushed peanuts (optional)(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prep (about 25 minutes total): Finely mince garlic and ginger. Finely chop scallions (separate white and green parts). Toast Sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan for 30–45 seconds, then crush to a coarse powder.

2. 2

   Cook noodles (about 10 minutes, part of the 20-minute cook time): Bring a pot of water to a boil, cook noodles until just tender, then drain and rinse briefly with hot water to remove excess starch. Toss noodles with 1 tsp neutral oil to prevent sticking.

3. 3

   Make the sauce (during the noodles cook, finishing within the cook window): In a bowl, whisk soy sauce, black vinegar, doubanjiang, chili oil, sesame paste, sugar, and chicken stock until smooth.

4. 4

   Dry-fry pork (about 7–8 minutes): Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok over medium-high. Add pork and cook until browned and crumbly. Add garlic, ginger, and the Sichuan pepper powder; stir-fry 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

5. 5

   Combine and dry-fry (about 3–4 minutes): Add the sauce to the pork and stir until glossy and thickened. Add drained noodles and toss vigorously to coat; keep tossing until the noodles look drier and cling to the sauce (no pooling).

6. 6

   Quick scallion-lime crunch (finishing step within the cook time): Mix scallion greens with lime juice (and zest if using) and sesame seeds; optionally fold in crushed peanuts.

7. 7

   Serve: Plate noodles, top with the scallion-lime crunch, and serve immediately.