Ingredients
Homemade chili oil:
- 2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 cup neutral oil peanut, safflower, or canola
- ¼ cup crushed red pepper flakes
For the noodles:
- 1 pound fresh or dried wheat flour noodles
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- ½ pound ground pork or ground chicken
- 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- 2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste (or substitute with tahini)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely grated
- ¼ cup hot water
- 1 cup leafy green vegetables like bok choy or spinach
- 2 scallion stalks chopped
- sesame seeds
- Sichuan chili peppercorn powder finely ground with spice grinder or mortar and pestle
Instructions
For the chili oil:
- Add the Sichuan peppercorns, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise, and oil to a small pot. Heat up the oil until its temperature is consistently between 310-325°F. Let the oil bubble slowly for 10 minutes.
- Measure out the crushed red pepper flakes into a heat-resistant bowl. Pour the oil into the bowl while straining the other ingredients. Set aside chili oil to cool.
For the noodles and sauce:
- Cook and drain noodles according to package directions.
- While you're waiting for the noodle water to boil, heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add peanut oil. When the oil shimmers, toss in the ground pork. Stir fry the meat until brown, 4 to 5 minutes, then add the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and Shaoxing wine. Cook for 2-3 minutes longer and set aside.
- Add sesame paste, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic into a bowl along with 1/2 cup chili oil and mix generously. Add 1/4 cup hot water (use the pasta water if the timing works) and stir until combined.
- In a small bowl, add ¼ cup of the dan dan sauce and the ground pork. Stir in the already cooked noodles and leafy greens. Top with sesame seeds, scallions, and Sichuan chili peppercorn powder.
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