Niki’s Dan Dan Noodles

Dan Dan Noodles (担担面, dan dan mian) is one of the most famous of Sichuan street foods and I love it! Traditionally, the freshly boiled egg noodles are served in a savoury, spicy broth topped with crispy lamb or pork and peanut flakes. Simply stir everything together with a pair of chopsticks to coat the noodles with a bit of everything and slurp! The numbing, smoky, spicy sauce will shock your taste buds, leaving you craving for more…trust me!

Now, as with any dish, dan dan noodles especially come in different versions so here is my take which uses lamb mince, a little less spice, rice noodles and a bit more veg for crunch and nutrition.

All you need is:

Ingredients:

For the noodle sauce:

• 4 tablespoons of light/dark tahini
• 4 tablespoons of tamari
• 4 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced (optional)
• 2 stalks of a spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of agave syrup
• 2 tablespoons of chilli oil or more if desired
• 1 teaspoon of ground Sichuan peppercorns @steenbergsltd

Lamb mince topping:

• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
• 450g of organic lamb mince
• 450g of rice noodles, cooked to packet instructions
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• 1 carrot, cut into thin strips
• A small handful of broccoli, sliced into small chunks
• 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon of coconut sugar

Method:

1. Whisk the tahini and tamari until fully incorporated and then add your white wine vinegar. Keep stirring until mixed. Now, mix in the garlic, spring onion, chilli oil and agave.
2. Add in your ground Sichuan peppercorns and taste while you mix, until you can taste the numbingness but can still handle it and as a rule of thumb, the more chili oil you add, the more Sichuan peppercorns you need.
3. Heat your oil in a skillet or a wok over medium heat until hot. Next, add in your lamb and cook and stir until the surface is cooked and the meat has turned darker and cooked through. Turn to a medium-low heat, add your noodle sauce and stir until all the liquid has evaporated and the lamb turns a darker brown colour. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
4. Finally, add your cooked noodles, top with a few extra spoonfuls of the cooked lamb and sprinkle with a pinch of extra ground Sichuan peppercorns, if you like more of the numbing taste.

Enjoy!

Niki