The Four Essential Components of the Sichuan Flavor Profile | Dan Dan Mian (Dan Dan Noodles)

This is my lazy person's method of how I make one of my favorite Sichuan dishes, Dan Dan Mian. There are more authentic and in-depth recipes all over the internet, but this is a quick and easy version that gets you 90% of the way there without as much fuss.

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:38 Sauce Components
2:44 Different Types of Chili Oil
4:56 Recipe
11:22 Outro

Chinese Cooking Demystified Videos:

Ingredient List: (I never measure things out exactly so these will always be rough estimates)
Sauce:
Chili Oil:
Oil – 4 cups (anything except for olive oil works)
Sichuan Peppercorns – 4 tablespoons
Scallions – 1 bunch
Garlic – 1 head
Ginger – 1 large knob
Shallots – 2
Chinese Chili Flakes – 1 cup
Sugar – 1 tablespoon
Salt – 1 teaspoon

Soy Sauce – 2 tablespoons
Chianking Black Vinegar – 2 tablespoons
Sugar – 0.5 to 1 tablespoons, depending on sweetness preference
Sesame Paste – 1 tablespoon

Pork Topping:
Ground Pork – ¼ pound
Yacai – 2 tablespoons
Soy Sauce – 2 tablespoons
Shaoxing Cooking Wine – 2 tablespoons
Oil – 1 tablespoon

Assembly:
Fresh or Dry Noodles – your preference for type and amount
Chopped Scallions – 1 stalk
Crushed Roasted Peanuts – 1 tablespoon
Sesame Seeds – 1 teaspoon

Method:
Chili Oil:
1. Make the chili oil first if you don’t have any already. Heat the oil up to 375 F or 190 C on the stovetop.
2. While the oil is coming up to temp, toast the Sichuan peppercorns over low heat in a dry pan for a few minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, and crush until fine.
3. Chop the remaining ingredients into a small dice, and transfer to a large metal bowl with the peppercorns, chili flakes, salt, and sugar.
4. Place your bowl on your stovetop, turn the range hood on the highest fan setting, and carefully pour the hot oil over the mixture. Stir with a spatula until fully incorporated and mixed, and let cool completely before transferring to a jar.

Pork Topping:
1. Marinade the ground pork in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon each of the soy sauce and cooking wine. Optionally add a pinch of salt and sugar.
2. Heat the oil in a pan (or preferably a wok) over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add the pork and stir fry for about 2-3 minutes, or until no more pink is visible. Add the yacai, mix together, and then add the remaining tablespoons on soy sauce and cooking wine. Fry for 1 more minute until the alcohol is gone, and then remove from the heat.

Assembly:
1. Put a pot of water on to boil.
2. Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chili oil in the bowl that you plan on eating out of. Once the water is close to boiling, take a ladleful and combine it with the sesame paste in another small bowl, stirring until completely smooth. Pour the sesame sauce into the noodle bowl and mix everything together until homogenous.
3. Cook your noodles according to the package instructions and transfer them directly from the pot into your bowl so that some of the cooking water comes along with them. Add more cooking water if you want a thinner consistency to the sauce.
4. Top the noodles with the scallions, peanuts, sesame seeds, and the pork topping.
5. Mix together at the dining table and devour.

[asianhungry]

This video makes me hungry... I will also try to cook!

[wesswearingen]

Chinese noodle dishes are some of my favorite things to eat in the world. I know very little about cooking, but this honestly looks very simple and insanely delicious! Thanks for sharing this and showing just how simple, such an amazing dish can be!

[NiceyNiceGuyMike]

Very nice. Do you refrigerate the oil? If not, how long will it save at room temperature?

[Dranda]

Enjoyed the video, just found the audio a little soft.

Keep up the good work!

[desifoodky]

So nice keep it up 👍
Lots of love 💕 from #DesiFoodky

[aaront]

Add something about curry, please. The offerings from the store are inadequate...