Easy Dan Dan noodle recipe. It is spicy, numbing but satisfying Sichuan classic noodle dish.

This Dan Dan noodle has become one of our favourite noodle, and it is not that difficult to make.

What is Dan Dan Noodle?

Dan dan noodles or dandan mian (simplified Chinese: 担担面; traditional Chinese: 擔擔麵), literally means "carrying pole noodle".

This was a common scene back in 1960s and early 70s.
Peddlers selling their goods (food or other non consumables ware) will have a long pole across their shoulder, 2 baskets hanging from the pole at both ends, walking from house to house, or village to village.
Towards late 1970s, the image of man with a pole was soon replaced with a man pushing carts or cycling tricycle.



Dan dan noodles originated from Szechuan or Sichuan province.
The amount of peppercorn used in this recipe is not what I would use in my cooking.

However, this dan dan noodle is very tasty and addictive.

Step by Step on How to cook Dan Dan noodles.

Step 1 - Chili Oil

The very first step you must do is to make chili oil!
You need a good portion of chili oil to make Dan dan noodle sauce.

Step 2 - Cook meat for Dan dan noodle

Follow these steps to cook the meat.


Saute garlic.


Add preserved radish.


Add chicken mince.


Add five spice and soy sauce.


Add rice vinegar.

<
Add hoisin sauce.


Add cornflour slurry.
Cornflour slurry is to thicken the dish and not make it too dry.

Extra tip : Remove from heat and add one tablespoon of hoisin sauce.
The meat for dan dan noodles is ready (and tasty)

Note: No salt is needed for the meat.
Preserved radish and soy sauce are the source of salt in the dish.

Step 3 - Make the sauce

I used hulled tahini, bought from grocer.


Add soy sauce.


Add sugar.
Tahini may have a slight bitter taste, so adding sugar will mask the bitter after taste.


Add five spice.


Add chopped garlic


Pound and grind sichuan peppercorn.
Ground sichuan peppercorn will give you the extra tongue numbing sensation!

Omit this step if you wish.


Sieve sichuan peppercorn to the sauce.


Add chili oil.


Add hot water from cooking noodle.
The starch from the noodle will add extra flavour to the sauce as well as loosen up the tahini to make a smooth sauce for dan dan noodles.


Dan dan noodle sauce is ready.

How to serve Dan dan noodles?

This recipe serves 6. 
So divide noodles between 6 bowls.


Drizzle sauce.


Mix noodle and sauce, until sauce coat the noodles thoroughly.


Top with cooked chicken mince.


Add vegetables and garnish with chopped peanuts and spring onion.


Drizzle extra chili oil.


Enjoy your bowl of dan dan noodles.

Type of noodles for Dan Dan noodles

In this post, I used Taiwanese hand pulled noodle (bought from Costco).
I love the taste, shape and texture of this noodle.

It is smooth and goes so well with Dan Dan sauce and chicken.
If you are not able to get this noodle, you can try make your own, like the Korean knife cut noodle (Kalguksu).

Or the simplest, quickest and always available in the larder, the instant noodle!
The taste may not be as good, can be a little gluggy and clumpy but hey, when one is hungry and no time to make noodles, this 2 minute instant noodle will do just fine.

Video on How to make Spicy Dan Dan noodles!