Melissa's Dan Dan Mein

Recipe by

Melissa King

Serves

Difficulty

Intermediate

Photo by:

Ed Anderson

"Cook Like a King” Text copyright © 2025 by Melissa King. Food photographs copyright © 2025 by Ed Anderson. Lifestyle photographs copyright © 2025 by Ashley Batz. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group A division of Penguin Random House LLC.

I’ve eaten so many variations of dan dan mein, the famous street-style noodles from Sichuan province. Sometimes the nutty sauce is made with dark-roasted Chinese sesame paste and sometimes with peanut butter. Some are served hot, others cold. When my Shanghainese family made dan dan, it was never spicy, while the Sichuan versions I’ve had often have a red sheen of chili oil. I like mine spicy, saucy, and heavy on the sesame and raw garlic with crisp cucumbers, preserved greens, and crushed peanuts for texture. I serve these noodles like they do on the street, with all the components in the bowl to be mixed just before eating.

SWITCH IT UP: Fresh thin wheat noodles are my pick, but any variety works well, from wide noodles to ramen to fresh pasta. Dried noodles are fine, too.

Ingredients

FOR THE SAUCE

⅓ cup Chinese sesame paste or any peanut butter
⅓ cup unsalted chicken stock
2 tablespoons Zhenjiang black vinegar
2 tablespoons Chinese light soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons Chinese dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
½ teaspoon red Sichuan peppercorns (optional), finely ground
¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

FOR THE PORK

1 pound fatty ground pork (20% fat)
3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon Chinese light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Madhur Jaggery or white sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon Surya Salt
¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 by 1-inch knob ginger, peeled and minced

FOR THE DAN DAN MEIN

4 tablespoons King’s Chili Crisp plus more as needed
1 pound fresh Chinese wheat noodles
1 cup julienned cucumbers, chilled
½ cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
½ cup shredded preserved mustard greens
½ cup thinly sliced scallions
About 1 cup unsalted chicken stock, hot

Methods

MAKE THE SAUCE

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sauce ingredients, then whisk gently until smooth. Set aside.

PREPARE THE PORK

In a separate medium bowl, combine the ground pork, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, salt, five spice, and white pepper and mix well. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the pork to absorb the flavors.
Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Add the canola oil, swirl to coat the pan, and let the oil shimmer. Add the ground pork mixture and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up any clumps, until the meat is caramelized, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger, cook for 1 minute more, and keep warm off the heat.

ASSEMBLE THE DAN DAN MEIN

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, give the sauce a good stir, then divide it among four bowls. Add 1 tablespoon of the chili crisp per bowl. Set aside.
When the water boils, add the noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, according to the package instructions. Drain well. Divide the noodles among the bowls.
Among the bowls, evenly divide the pork, cucumbers, peanuts, mustard greens, and scallions. Add a splash of hot chicken stock (about ¼ cup) to each bowl, and serve. Have everyone mix very well and drizzle with more chili crisp to taste

This Recipe Features