Dan Dan Noodles

Ingredients

• fresh wheat noodles or thin lo mein10 oz
• ground pork1/2 lb
• Tianjin preserved vegetable (ya cai)2 tbsp, rinsed and chopped
• Shaoxing wine1 tbsp
• dark soy sauce1 tsp
• five-spice powder1/4 tsp
• Chinese sesame paste or tahini2 tbsp
• soy sauce3 tbsp
• Chinkiang black vinegar2 tsp
• chili crisp or chili oil3 tbsp
• Sichuan peppercorns (toasted, ground)1/2 tsp
• garlic2 cloves, grated
• scallions2, thinly sliced
• neutral oil1 tbsp

Steps

1. 1

   Brown pork with seasonings.

   Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Brown pork, breaking it up, until crispy edges form, about 5 minutes. Stir in Shaoxing, dark soy sauce, and five-spice; cook 1 minute more.

2. 2

   Add ya cai and set aside.

   Add the ya cai and toss to combine. Set the topping aside.

3. 3

   Make the sauce mixture.

   Whisk sesame paste with 3 tbsp warm pasta water until smooth. Stir in soy sauce, vinegar, chili crisp, ground Sichuan pepper, and garlic.

4. 4

   Cook and drain noodles.

   Boil noodles in plenty of salted water until just tender, drain, and divide into 2 deep bowls.

5. 5

   Spoon dressing and top noodles.

   Spoon half the dressing into each bowl. Top with the crispy pork and scallions. Toss vigorously at the table before slurping.