Dan Dan Noodles
Recipe: Dan Dan Noodles
From: Helen Chen's Chinese Home Cooking
Serves: 6-8
1 lb. spaghettini or angel hair noodles
2 Tbsp. sesame oil, divided
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
3/4 c. chicken broth
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. chili oil (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. cayenne (or to taste)
1 heaping tsp. Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
3 scallions, thinly sliced
Bring 4 qts. water to boil in a large pot. Add the noodles and cook uncovered until a little more tender than al dente, but do not overcook or noodles will be mushy. When done, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water until thoroughly cool. Drain well, transfer to a large serving bowl, and toss with 1 Tbsp. sesame oil (hands work best). Set aside.
While noodles are cooking, blend the peanut butter and chicken broth together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. sesame oil, soy sauce, chili oil, cayenne, and Szechuan peppercorns. Mix thoroughly. If time permits, let sauce stand 30 min. or more to let flavors develop.
Pour peanut sauce over the cooked noodles. Add scallions. Toss, using your hands (this mixes most evenly and the noodles won't break). Serve cold or at room temp.
Notes:
If you let the dish sit, the noodles will absorb the sauce; not a problem, unless you prefer saucier noodles, in which case dress just before serving.
You can blanch 1/4 lb. snow peas (remove both ends and strings first) and/or 2 c. bean sprouts for 15 sec. in the boiling water before cooking the noodles; fish out with a wire skimmer and rinse in cold water, then cut snow peas diagonally into shreds. Add the vegetables with the scallions when dressing the noodles.
Could easily be made vegan just by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
From: Helen Chen's Chinese Home Cooking
Serves: 6-8
1 lb. spaghettini or angel hair noodles
2 Tbsp. sesame oil, divided
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
3/4 c. chicken broth
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. chili oil (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. cayenne (or to taste)
1 heaping tsp. Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
3 scallions, thinly sliced
Bring 4 qts. water to boil in a large pot. Add the noodles and cook uncovered until a little more tender than al dente, but do not overcook or noodles will be mushy. When done, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water until thoroughly cool. Drain well, transfer to a large serving bowl, and toss with 1 Tbsp. sesame oil (hands work best). Set aside.
While noodles are cooking, blend the peanut butter and chicken broth together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. sesame oil, soy sauce, chili oil, cayenne, and Szechuan peppercorns. Mix thoroughly. If time permits, let sauce stand 30 min. or more to let flavors develop.
Pour peanut sauce over the cooked noodles. Add scallions. Toss, using your hands (this mixes most evenly and the noodles won't break). Serve cold or at room temp.
Notes:
If you let the dish sit, the noodles will absorb the sauce; not a problem, unless you prefer saucier noodles, in which case dress just before serving.
You can blanch 1/4 lb. snow peas (remove both ends and strings first) and/or 2 c. bean sprouts for 15 sec. in the boiling water before cooking the noodles; fish out with a wire skimmer and rinse in cold water, then cut snow peas diagonally into shreds. Add the vegetables with the scallions when dressing the noodles.
Could easily be made vegan just by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.