Dan Dan Noodles
(from Lucianolinda’s recipe box)
Source: Chicago Tribune - Leah Eskin
Serves 2 peopleCategories: pasta dishes, pasta sauce
Ingredients
- 1 bunch baby bok choy
- Salt
- Sesame oil
- 1/4 lb. fresh or dried Chinese noodles
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 to 2 Tbsp. sunflower seed butter (see notes)
- 1 Tbsp. Sambal (see notes)
- 1 1/2 tsp. dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. rice wine (or other) vinegar
- 1/4 tsp. ground star anise
- 1/4 tsp. ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp. ground Sichuan OR ground black pepper
- Pinch ground cinnamon
- 1/2 lb. boneless pork sirloin, cubed
- 1 1/2 tsp. canola oil
- 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- Chile oil
- 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
- 2 Tsp. finely chopped green onions
Directions
- Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Add bok choy; cook until leaves wilt bright green and stems turn tender, 2 to 3 minutes. using tongs, pull out boy choy, rinse under cool water. Sprinkle with a little salt, drizzle with a little sesame oil.
- Add noodles to the hot water; cook until tender but firm. Scoop out 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain noodles; rinse under cool water. Toss with a little salt and sesame oil.
- Blend together 2 Tbsp. of the reserved cooking water, soy sauce, sunflower seed butter, Sambal, sugar, vinegar, anise, coriander, Sichuan and cinnamon.
- Toss pork cubes in the food processor. Pulse several times.
- heat canola oil in a wide heavy skillet. Add pork; cook until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir in ginger and garlic; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. pour in sauce; cook 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup reserved water (or more) to achieve a thin sauce that isn’t sticky. Pull pan off heat.
- Pour 1 Tbsp. chile oil (or to taste) into each of 2 shallow bowls. (Use less for those who are spice averse) Add pork sauce to each bowl. Scatter on sesame seeds. Heap noodles on top of sauce. Settle a few bok choy stems alongside. Sprinkle on green onions. Let guest swirl and dip in.
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Notes: Look for sunflower seed butter near the peanut butter( which can be used as a substitute, if necessary.) or on the “natural” foods aisle. Sambal, a paste made from red chiles, is available in the Asian-food section of the grocery store.