Dan Dan Noodles

Dan dan Noodles!! The Chinese noodles that you have been waiting for your whole life. This delicious recipe is all about the heartwarming feeling the Szechuan spices will add to your meal. You will ditch everything you ever called comfort food and make this recipe your absolute go-to.

I've made quite a few different noodle dishes in my cooking days but this particular one has my heart. Even more so, it has my taste buds and my belly completely in love. There is so much going on here and the taste is so delicious, that I've become a bit addicted to this recipe.

First thing first, have you ever heard of dan dan Noodles before? These Chinese noodles, also called dandanmian, are an original from Szechuan cuisine. And this cuisine is big on its spices and Szechuan peppers. I made sure it wasn't too spicy though, I want you to enjoy this meal and not end up crying!

We need chilli oil, garlic, maple syrup, rice vinegar, tamari sauce, toasted sesame oil, and of course Szechuan peppercorns. I use ground peppers so I can gauge how much I am adding. I've tried adding the whole peppers and I always get a surprise, most of the time not a good one. 

You will also need a bit of peanut butter for the sauce. This will make it super creamy and that peanut-y taste is always such a delicious addition to any Asian dish. And, as an added bonus you get a good load of protein and some good healthy fats in your belly. 

Since dan dan noodles are topped off with some meat I came up with a mix to replace it. I put different types of mushrooms in a food processor with some nuts, garlic, scallions, and tofu. It has a ton of texture and adds a really delicious taste to the dish. You can use this mix for all sorts of recipes when you want to have that meaty element to it or just make it more filling. 

I believe this dish is usually served with Chinese egg noodles. But we are making it vegan by simply swiping them for ramen noodles. I've seen dan dan noodles cooked with a lot of different types of noodles so I am not sure which ones are the original ones. I just added my faves. 

When you mix the noodles, the sauce, and add the mushroom mix you are in for a treat. Dan dan noodles are an explosion of flavours that you won't want to miss out on. Make sure to serve these Chinese noodles while they are still hot and steamy. You and your family will want to have them for lunch, dinner or just a binge meal.