What’s your favorite Chinese take-out order? Mine is always a spicy noodle dish. The more spicy chili oil the better! Here’s the problem…the take-out budget, well that isn’t as well stocked as I would like at the moment. Here’s the other problem…once those take-out cravings hit, they hit hard. The only solution is to attempt to make homemade be the new delivery. Have to say pretty happy with the outcome.
Dan Dan Noodles are not traditionally vegan. As such this version is an adaptation. The dish has also taken on many forms along the way with new ingredients & cooking methods being adapted as the dish was recreated by new regions as it spread in popularity. Some serve it in broth & others serve it as a dry noodle (as you see here). The dish typically uses ingredients such as fermented bean paste & Sichuan peppercorns. I did my best to recreate the dish without some of these ingredients as they just weren’t available to me at the time.
Do you know why it is called Dan Dan? It refers to the long bamboo poles that the dish was originally carried on by street hawkers in the Sichuan region.
Dan Dan Noodles
Ingredients
- 8 oz extra firm tofu, crumbled (about half a block)
- 1 cup mushrooms, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
- 1/4 cup green onions, diced plus more for garnish
- 1-2 tbsp sesame oil
- 8 oz rice noodles
Dan Dan Sauce
- 1/3 cup tamari (low sodium preferred)
- 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp mirin (sub rice wine vinegar)
- 3 tsp chili oil see notes, plus more for garnish
- 3 tsp creamy peanut butter
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup water plus more if needed
Instructions
- Make the sauce by combining all ingredients except water. Whisk until smooth. Slowly add in water, whisk well. Set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to boil for the noodles. Once boiling add the noodles & cook based on package directions.
- While the water is boiling prepare the tofu. Add the sesame oil to a pan over medium-high heat. Crumble the tofu into the pan & let it cook for about 5 minutes. Chop the mushrooms & add to the tofu. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, green onions & 1 tbsp of the sauce. Cook for another 3 minutes. Transfer to another container.
- Once the noodles have cooked transfer them to the saucepan. Lower to medium-low heat. Add the sauce to the noodles & toss well to coat all the noodles. Add half of the tofu mushroom mixture to the noodles, giving another toss. You may need to add a bit more water if you want a thinner sauce.Remove from heat & serve. Top with the remaining tofu-mushroom mixture, green onions & a drizzle of additional chili oil.