Dan Dan Noodles(担担面) (475)

Ingredients:

• 4 oz ground pork (or beef)
• 2 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
• 2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
• 2 tablespoon peanuts (skinless, coarsely crushed)
• 1 teaspoon ginger (minced)
• 1 tablespoon minced Ya Cai (or Zha Cai (see note 1))
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (or to taste)
• 1½ tablespoon Chinese sesame paste (see note 2)
• 1½ tablespoon water
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon black rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
• 2 tablespoon Chinese chilli oil (or to taste)
• 1 pinch sugar
• 2 portions noodles (fresh or dried)
• 1 handful leafy green vegetable (i.e bok choy, choy sum, spinach, etc )
• 1 stalk scallions (finely chopped)

Instructions:

1. Put the ground pork in a bowl. Add soy sauce and rice wine. Mix well and loosen the meat as much as possible.
2. Pour oil into a cold wok. Add peanuts and fry over low heat until they turn golden brown. Transfer the peanuts to a bowl (Leave the oil in) and set aside.
3. In the remaining oil, stir-fry the marinated meat with minced ginger, Ya Cai and chilli flakes. Dish out when the meat is fully cooked. Set aside.
4. In a bowl, mix sesame paste and water until it becomes semi-runny & smooth.
5. Add garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, ground Sichuan pepper, chilli oil and sugar. Mix well and set aside.
6. Bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Cook noodles following the instructions on the package.
7. Add the vegetable at the very end of the process.
8. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water for a few seconds to remove excess starch.
9. Pour the sauce into two serving bowls. Add the noodles and the vegetable.
10. Top with cooked meat and peanuts. Garnish with scallions.