Dan Dan Noodles: A Real Treat

If you’ve ever been to a “noodle joint” in Chinatown. you’ve probably tried Dan Dan noodles.

Since they’re a Sichuan treat, they can run a bit on the spicy side. However, when you make them in your own kitchen, you get to control the heat. These noodles do need a bit of heat if they are to remain anywhere near being authentic.

You also have a choice of meat. They’re equally as good with either chicken or pork. I happen to prefer the pork, but that’s merely a personal thing.

Authentic Noodles

While you can use regular #8 spaghetti for this recipe, it will be much better if you use authentic Chinese noodles.

If you’re lucky enough to have a store that sells them fresh, they will either be by the dairy aisle or the produce department because they are kept refrigerated. If your store doesn’t stock the fresh kind, you should be able to find them in the aisle where Asian foods are. You can use either Chinese egg noodles or lo mein noodles. In a pinch ramen will do. This hasn’t got much to do with taste because Chinese noodles, much like regular spaghetti, don’t have much taste. It’s a textural thing here. The Chinese noodles have moxie and have a good “chew factor.”

If you’re into making your own pasta, this is also an excellent substitute. Use the spaghetti cutter and you’re all set.

Chili Garlic Oil

This recipe gives directions to make your own chili garlic oil. This is where the heat comes from so you control that by how much red pepper flakes you use.

If you have a store-bought brand you like, feel free to bypass making your own and just use that.

The Recipe

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Dan Dan Noodles

Skip takeout and make these great noodles at home!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: asian noodle dinners, authentic sichuan dandan noodles, dandan noodles, sichuan noodles

Servings: 4

Calories: 648kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 4 scallions thinly sliced for garnish

Sauce For Meat Mixture/Broth (divided):

• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tbs rice vinegar
• 1 tbs honey
• 1/4 cup water

Meat Mixture:

• 1/2 pound ground pork or chicken
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 cups mushrooms finely chopped
• 1 scallion white part finely shopped

Noodles/Broth

• 8 oz Chinese-style egg noodles
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach roughly chopped

Chili Garlic Oil:

• 1/3 cup sesame oil
• 6 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2-1 tbs crushed red pepper flakes

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a small mixing bowl, stir together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, honey and water until smooth. Set aside.
• In a large skillet over low heat, add sesame oil, garlic and chili flakes. Cook stirring occasionally until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and very carefully pour chili oil into a heat-proof bowl, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the skillet. Set aside remaining chili oil.
• Increase heat to medium and add ground pork or chicken to the skillet. Season with pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking up with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and chopped white scallion and cook 2 minutes longer. Slowly add 1/2 of the soy sauce mixture and simmer until sauce thickens and the meat and vegetables are caramelized and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in about 3 tablespoons chili oil and cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In the pot used to cook the noodles, simmer broth and remaining 1/2 of the soy sauce mixture over medium heat. Return noodles to the pot, add spinach and toss to combine. Serve noodles topped with some of the meat, scallions and additional chili oil, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 648kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 1454mg | Potassium: 805mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1896IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 4mg

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Easy to do and a great party food, appetizer or snack.  Make a bunch!

Fries up in a snap and these are the best appetizers for any party or just snacking.

Make a bunch of them because you can freeze and reheat any time.  This uses the same filling as my pot stickers (click HERE for filling recipe).

Wonton skins are available in the produce section of most grocery stores. Sometimes they will be in the organic or vegan section too.  You could also use egg roll wrappers, cut in quarters if the store is out of wonton skins.  Rather than go into a lengthy explanation of how to fold them up, here is a great instructional video~~

• 1 pkg wonton skins
• 1 recipe of pot sticker filling
• 2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Fried Wontons

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Pot Stickers (Dim Sum)

Your favorite Asian restaurant appetizer can be made at home.  And guess what? It’s EASY.

Pot Stickers Are Easy

Yes, these are easy, but a bit time consuming.  However, it’s well worth it and you can make enough to bag and freeze for when you need them again.

I don’t bother using wonton skins or eggroll wraps for this since the REAL dough is easy to make at a fraction of the cost.  It’s a hot water dough that consists only of flour and boiling water in a 2:1 ratio.

The centers can of course be filled with anything you like.  I used ground pork that I ground myself.  I used pork butt steaks.  Sorry folks but you NEED a bit of fat in these, so if you are going to buy a piece of pork to grind yourself, I’d suggest the butt steaks or the cheaper rib-end chops.

The Filling

I adapted the filling recipe from one I found on About.com but I found that filling to be quite unpleasant.  It was very bland and lacked any real flavor besides sesame oil, and too much at that.  Too much dark sesame oil to me tastes like skunk–not kidding.  You have to go EASY on it for just the right flavor.  My reworked recipe is much more flavorful and includes ingredients I can taste in the restaurant variety.

Be warned–the dough is sticky, so you will have to constantly re-flour your work surface and hands.  If you want to use wonton wrappers, it does make it easier, but it just won’t taste the same.

The Recipe

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Pot Stickers (Dim Sum or Chinese Dumplings)

Your favorite Asian restaurant appetizer can be made at home.  And guess what? It’s EASY.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Appetizers, Pork

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: chinese dumplings, dim sum, pot stickers

Servings: 48 dumplings

Calories: 46kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

POT STICKER DOUGH

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup boiling water

POT STICKER FILLING

• 1 lb ground pork
• 6 oz Napa celery cabbage or regular green cabbage
• 3 tsp coarse salt divided
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion--the white and the green part
• 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro OR 1/2 tsp dehydrated
• 1 large clove of garlic minced very finely
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/8 tsp grated fresh ginger or a pinch of dried
• 1 tbsp dry sherry

Instructions

• Start by making the filling.
• Shred the cabbage finely and sprinkle with 2 tsp of the coarse salt and toss. Set aside for 5 minutes.
• Mix the meat and remaining ingredients plus the leftover 1 tsp coarse salt in a medium bowl. Squeeze out the water from the shredded cabbage and add to meat mixture, mixing well. Set aside.
• For the dough, mix the flour and boiling water until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cut dough in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch roll. Cut 1/2-inch portions of dough from the roll. Roll each 1/2-inch portion into a 3-inch circle. Place about 1 tbs of filling in each circle. NOTE: I roll out ALL my dough circles before I begin to fill them. Process is cleaner and also more efficient.
• Bring the edges of the circles up and seal very well, pinching to pleat slightly. This will form a crescent-shaped dumpling. They can be shaped other ways, but I find that to be a complete PAIN and the shape I make them in is the one the restaurants make them in.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1 tbs vegetable oil if using a regular pan, 1/2 tbs if using non stick. When oil is very hot, add the dumplings, pleated side up in the pan. Fry for about 3-5 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown and start to crisp. Add 1/2 cup water, cover and reduce heat to medium, and steam until all water is absorbed; about 5-7 minutes.
• These can be served with a dipping sauce made with 1 cup soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sesame oil and 2 tbs honey mixed together. Put these ingredients in a small saucepan and heat, stirring, until honey is dissolved.
• Makes about 48 dumplings and they can be frozen and reheated.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 46kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 172mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

Pot Stickers (Dim Sum)

Pot Stickers (Dim Sum)

Pot Stickers (Dim Sum)

 

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