Dan Dan Noodles
Serves 4
2 teaspoons red Sichuan peppercorns
For sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste or 4 teaspoons tahini or unsweetened peanut butter mixed with 2 teaspoons roasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinkiang or balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 / 2cup Sichuan chile oil with its sediment
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic (about 2 medium cloves) For pork
1 tablespoon peanut or other neutral oil
6 ounces ground or finely chopped pork
2 ounces minced preserved mustard root or stem 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon light soy sauce or shoyu
To serve
1 pound fresh wheat noodles
4 ounces fresh greens, such as spinach or baby bok choy,
optional
2 ounces mung bean sprouts, optional
1 / 4cup roasted or fried peanuts, gently crushed in a mortar and pestle
4 to 5 scallions, thinly sliced
Toast Sichuan peppercorns in a dry wok over high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to mortar and pestle or spice grinder and grind into a fine powder; set aside.
MAKE SAUCE: Combine sesame paste and water in medium bowl and stir until completely smooth.
Add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, chile oil, garlic and half of the ground Sichuan peppercorns and stir until homogenous and sugar is dissolved. Divide sauce evenly among 4 individual bowls or pour into one large serving bowl to share.
MAKE PORK: Heat wok over high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat. Add pork and cook, stirring and tossing and using a spatula to break up pork until it is no longer pink, about 1 minute.
Add preserved mustard root and cook, stirring and tossing until all excess moisture has evaporated and the mixture starts to stick to the wok, about 1 minute longer. Add a big pinch of ground Sichuan peppercorns and toss to combine.
Swirl in the wine vinegar and soy sauce around the edges of wok and continue to cook, stirring and tossing, until wine and soy sauce have completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Transfer pork mixture to a small bowl.
PREPARE NOODLES: Bring 3 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil in the wok or in a large pot over high heat. When water is boiling, add the noodles, greens and bean sprouts, if using, and cook according to the package directions until barely cooked through, just a couple minutes.
Drain noodles, reserving some of the cooking liquid, and divide evenly among the individual bowls or transfer to the large serving bowl. Add a few tablespoons of cooking liquid to each bowl. Spoon the pork mixture on top.
Sprinkle with remaining ground Sichuan peppercorns and the sliced scallions. Serve immediately.
— “The Wok: Recipes and Techniques” by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt (Norton, March 8, 2022, $50)