LONG NOODLES/LONG LIFE. Noodles have been part of Chinese cuisine for more than 4,000 years, and long strands symbolize longevity, one of the nicest things you can wish for on the Lunar New Year. Pictured is a serving of Dan Dan Noodles, a dish that has origins as a street food. (Carrie Crow via AP)

From The Asian Reporter, V28, #3 (February 5, 2018), page 19.

By Katie Workman
The Associated Press

Dan Dan Noodles are a classic Chinese dish originating in Sichuan province. Noodles have been part of Chinese cuisine for more than 4,000 years, and long strands symbolize longevity, one of the nicest things you can wish for on the Lunar New Year (which begins February 16 this year).

Dan Dan Noodles are essentially long skinny noodles topped with a flavorful sauce built on ground pork and seasoned with pickled vegetables, chilis, soy sauce, and a bit of Chinese wine and vinegar. The dish was originally a street food. The name Dan Dan refers to the pole on which street vendors in Sichuan would carry the pots of food: one for the noodles, another for the sauce.

A few of the ingredients might take a little work to find unless you live near a great Asian market. Seek them out if you want to approach authenticity, but otherwise use some easy substitutions: If you cannot find the Chinese black vinegar, substitute even amounts of rice vinegar and balsamic vinegar. Really any vinegar would be fine, but that combo provides the closest approximation. Dry sherry is a fine substitute for the rice wine.

If you have access to a an Asian market, or want to find a source online, then buy ya cai, zha cai, or Tianjin dong cai, which is a preserved vegetable mix, or sometimes just pickled mustard root. It’s available in cans or jars. Otherwise jarred pickles work just fine.

There are many versions of this dish, as there are with any classic recipe. Some are brothier than others, some have peanut butter or sesame or ginger, or Szechuan peppercorns. Sichuan cooking is often quite spicy, and these noodles are no exception. If you’re feeling a little timid about the amount of chili paste, you can always dial it back a bit — these noodles definitely pack a kick.

Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family-friendly cooking, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook.

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Serves 4

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Sauce:

1/4 cup chili garlic paste

1/4 cup vegetable, peanut, or canola oil

2 tablespoons Chinkiang, or Chinese Black vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

4 scallions, minced

Pork and Noodles:

1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil

1 pound ground pork

1/4 cup chopped, jarred Chinese pickled vegetables or small diced pickles

1 cup roughly chopped arugula (optional)

2 teaspoons finely minced garlic

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (which might be called Shaoxing,

or a Japanese version called Mirin), or use dry sherry

1 cup chicken broth

16 ounces fresh Chinese wheat noodles or 8 ounces dried Chinese noodles, or substitute spaghetti

To serve:

1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

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