Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles with Homemade Red Chili Oil

Ingredients

• 90 g Sichuan Erjingtiao dried chilis (Toast whole, then deseed and grind to a powder.)
• 60 g Chaotianjiao dried chilis (Heaven-facing peppers; toast whole, then deseed and grind.)
• 2 cup Sichuan caiziyou (rapeseed oil) (Use peanut or sunflower oil if necessary; avoid blended oil. The quantity is approximate and is adjusted to maintain two parts oil to one part chili powder.)
• Ginger (1–2 slices; optional.)
• 8 Cloves (Optional; part of the spice mix. The source gives a range of 8–10.)
• 1 tsp Fennel or caraway seed (Optional; use either fennel or caraway.)
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns for chili oil (Optional; part of the spice mix.)
• 1 tbsp Zicao, Hungarian sweet paprika, or annatto seeds (Optional colorant. Use 1 tbsp paprika, or 1 tsp annatto seeds; zicao is used as directed by the source.)
• 400 g Fresh thin Chinese noodles (Use thin, eggless, non-alkaline noodles; Japanese somen or spaghetti can substitute.)
• 1 tbsp Sesame paste (Unseasoned sesame paste or tahini; not sesame oil.)
• 3 tbsp Light soy sauce (Used with sugar, dark vinegar, and MSG to make the sauce mixture; only 2 tbsp of the mixture is used in the stated sauce ratio.)
• 1.5 tbsp Sugar (Dissolve with the soy sauce, vinegar, and MSG.)
• 1 tsp Dark Chinese vinegar (The source notes that this is rounded up.)
• 0.5 tsp MSG (Dissolve into the soy sauce mixture.)
• 2 parts Sichuan red chili oil (Use in a two-parts red chili oil to two-parts soy mixture to one-part sesame paste sauce ratio; quantity is relative rather than an absolute measurement.)
• Sichuan peppercorns for noodle sauce (Toast, grind very finely, and sprinkle into the sauce; quantity not stated.)
• 3 tbsp Sichuan yacai (Preserved, salted, dried, fermented mustard greens; quantity is approximate.)
• 100 g Pork mince (Approximately 70/30 pork; the source used hand-minced pork belly. The source refers to a marinade but does not provide its ingredients.)
• 0.5 tbsp Liaojiu cooking wine (Add around the sides of the wok after the pork changes color.)
• 0.5 tbsp Soy sauce for pork topping (Add around the sides of the wok after the cooking wine. The source does not specify whether this is light or dark soy sauce.)
• Cooking oil for stir-frying (A small amount, added after heating the wok; quantity not stated.)

Steps

1. 1

   In a dry wok over low heat, toast the Erjingtiao and Chaotianjiao dried chilis for about 1 minute, just until fragrant. Let them cool enough to handle, then remove most of the seeds; a few seeds may remain.

2. 2

   Blend the deseeded chilis for several minutes until they become a powder rather than flakes. Measure the result; 150 g whole chilis should yield about 1 cup of powder. Adjust the caiziyou so the final ratio is two parts oil to one part chili powder. If using paprika, mix it into the chili powder, then place the powder in a heat-safe metal bowl and shape it into a mound with a well in the center.

3. 3

   In a dry wok over low heat, toast the cloves, fennel or caraway seed, Sichuan peppercorns, and ginger, if using, for 1–2 minutes. Place the toasted spices in a large mesh tea strainer or other heat-safe infuser.

4. 4

   If using zicao, place it in the caiziyou and heat the oil to 130°C. Remove the zicao after no more than 1 minute. Keep the oil at approximately 130°C, add the toasted spices, and steep them for about 3 minutes, until they slightly change color and smell fragrant. Remove the spices.

5. 5

   Increase the infused oil to 190°C. Pour half of the hot oil into the well in the chili-powder mound, stirring vigorously and incorporating the powder from the edges so it does not scorch.

6. 6

   Wait for the oil mixture to cool to 135°C, then pour in another quarter of the oil and stir. Wait again until it reaches 85°C, then add the remaining oil and stir thoroughly. Set the red chili oil aside.

7. 7

   Toast the additional Sichuan peppercorns for the noodle sauce in a dry pan over low heat for about 1 minute. Grind them very finely in a mortar or coffee grinder so no hard peppercorn hulls remain.

8. 8

   Heat the light soy sauce, sugar, dark Chinese vinegar, and MSG briefly, just until the sugar and MSG dissolve. Do not reduce it substantially.

9. 9

   Form the noodle sauce by combining two parts of the soy-sugar mixture, two parts Sichuan red chili oil, and one part sesame paste. Mix thoroughly, then stir in the finely ground Sichuan peppercorns.

10. 10

    Bring a wok to very high heat. Turn off the heat, add a small amount of cooking oil, and swirl it around the wok to create a nonstick surface. Turn the heat back to low.

11. 11

    Add a few of the toasted, deseeded dried chilis to the oiled wok and fry for about 30 seconds, until they begin to change color and flavor the oil. Remove and discard them.

12. 12

    Add the yacai and stir-fry over low heat for about 1 minute, until it begins to wilt.

13. 13

    Increase the heat to medium-high, or high on a western stove. Add the pork mince together with its marinade, although the source does not specify the marinade ingredients. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, breaking up the mince, until the pork changes color.

14. 14

    Place the liaojiu cooking wine on the spatula and pour it around the sides of the wok. Stir until it is mixed into the topping.

15. 15

    Repeat with the 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce, pouring it around the sides of the wok. Stir until the liquid is no longer visible, then remove the pork and yacai topping from the heat.

16. 16

    Cook the fresh noodles according to the noodle package or market instructions. Drain them, then divide them among serving bowls.

17. 17

    Top each bowl with the prepared sesame-chili sauce and the stir-fried yacai and pork mixture. Serve immediately.

Notes

The source does not provide the ingredients for the pork marinade, so they cannot be reconstructed. The chili oil process uses very hot oil; use a heat-safe metal bowl and stir carefully. The source distinguishes this red oil, hongyou, from condiment-style chili oil. Extra soy-sugar mixture can be combined with equal parts chili oil and additional sesame paste to make more sauce.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• noodles
• spicy
• Sichuan
• East Asian
• stir-fried
• homemade chili oil
• pork