Dan Dan Noodles with Pork

📝 Ingredients

• 180 g dried wheat noodles (Chinese noodles)
• 250 g minced pork
• 1.5 tbsp sesame paste (tahini)
• 1 tbsp chilli oil
• 3 tbsp salty soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or Chinese black vinegar)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper (or 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1 pinch of chilli)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 10 g fresh ginger, grated
• 200 g pak choi (or spinach)
• 2 spring onions, sliced

🍴 Utensils

• Large saucepan
• Frying pan
• Colander
• Spatula
• Fork
• 2 large bowls

📖 Steps

1. Make the sauce directly in the bottom of the two large bowls: divide the sesame paste, chilli oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, the vinegar, sugar and half the Sichuan pepper between them. Mix each bowl with a fork until smooth.
2. Heat the frying pan over a medium-high heat with no fat and crumble in the minced pork. Leave it to brown for 3 minutes without touching, then break it up with the spatula and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until well browned, slightly crispy and with no trace of pink.
3. Add the garlic, ginger and remaining Sichuan pepper, stir for 1 minute over a medium heat, then deglaze with the last spoonful of soy sauce. Let it reduce for 30 seconds, until the meat is glossy and dry. Set aside off the heat.
4. Bring the large pan of water to the boil and cook the noodles according to the packet. Add the halved pak choi (or the spinach) to the water 1 minute before the end of cooking, just long enough for it to turn bright green and tender.
5. Scoop out 4 tbsp of the cooking water and pour 2 into each bowl to loosen the sauce. Drain the noodles and greens without rinsing: the starch coating them helps the sauce cling.
6. Divide the noodles and pak choi between the bowls, on top of the sauce, then add the crispy pork. Sprinkle with spring onions. Mix well at the table to coat every noodle in sauce before eating.