Shortcut Dan Dan Noodles Recipes

Steps:

• For the chile oil: Heat the oil, Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon stick and star anise in a small pot over medium-low heat until it reaches 325 degrees F, then remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and star anise with a slotted spoon and discard, then stir in the crushed red pepper flakes. Set the oil aside to cool.
• For the sauce: Whisk together the soy sauce, sesame paste, sugar, five-spice powder, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic and 1/4 cup of the chile oil in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1/3 cup hot water and set aside.
• For the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package directions, adding the bok choy, if using, for the last minute of cooking time. Drain in a colander and rinse well under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Toss the noodles with 1 teaspoon of the reserved chile oil and set aside.
• Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil in a seasoned wok over high heat until shimmering. Add the pork and cook, stirring and breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the Shaoxing wine, hoisin sauce and dark soy sauce and cook until all the liquid is evaporated and the pork is crispy, about 3 minutes. Add the sui mi ya cai, if using, and cook until it starts to sizzle, about 2 minutes. (Otherwise, remove from the heat after the pork is crispy.) Remove from the heat and add the reserved noodles and sauce to the wok, tossing well to coat. Place in a serving bowl, top with scallions and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Make the noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles, stir and cook until al dente, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain, then rinse under cold water and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon sesame oil and toss to coat.
• Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until smoking and add the peanut oil. Add the ginger, chiles and garlic and stir-fry 30 seconds; add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Combine the tahini and the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a small bowl. Add the cornichons to the wok. Stir in the tahini mixture, soy sauce, rice wine, vinegar and ground peppercorns; cook until the beef begins to crisp, 2 to 3 more minutes. Season with white pepper and remove from the heat.
• Prepare the toppings: Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Combine the chili oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, ground peppercorns and chiles in a small bowl.
• Divide the noodles among bowls and sprinkle the beef mixture evenly over each. Pour the hot broth over the noodles; top with the chili oil mixture, scallions and cilantro.

Steps:

• Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, add the noodles, and cook about 5 to 6 minutes, or until near-tender, drain in a colander, rinse lightly to remove the starch, and drain again thoroughly in a colander. Arrange the cooked noodles in the bottom of a large serving bowl.
• Arrange the carrots, bean sprouts, and minced scallion greens in separate concentric circles on top of the noodles. Spoon the Spicy Sesame Dressing on top or serve on the side.
• Spicy Sesame Dressing: Drop the seasonings of the Spicy Sesame Dressing in descending order into the feed tube of a food processor fitted with a steel blade while the machine is running. Mix together to a smooth sauce- it should be the consistency of heavy cream.

Steps:

• Place the peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, black vinegar, and chili oil into the bowl of a mini-food processor. Process until the mixture is well combined and forms a paste, 1 to 2 minutes. With the processor running, gradually add the chicken broth and process until the sauce is creamy and well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, cover, and set aside while you prepare the rest of the dish.
• Place 4 quarts water into a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Drain thoroughly in a colander. Add the noodles to the bowl with the sauce and toss to combine. Serve topped with the peanuts and scallions.

Steps:

• For the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the noodles and salt, stir, and cook until al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water, and then shake out any excess water and transfer to a bowl. Pour the sesame oil over the noodles and toss well to coat.
• For the toppings: Heat a wok over high heat until smoking and pour in the peanut oil. Add the ginger, chiles and garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds, and then add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir in the cornichons, sesame paste, soy sauce, rice wine, vinegar and peppercorns and cook until the beef begins to crisp. Season with white pepper and remove from the heat.
• For the garnish: Mix together the chili oil, sesame oil, soy, peppercorns and chiles in a small bowl.
• To serve, divide the noodles among 6 deep soup bowls and sprinkle the meat topping evenly over each. Pour the hot stock evenly over the noodles, and serve with the chili oil mixture, scallions and cilantro alongside at the table for garnishing.

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.