Dan Dan Spicy Noodles

By Mary Chin

Here is a recipe guaranteed to keep you warm in the winter, and make you sweat in the summertime! Remember, drink lots of water.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground pork
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup peanut oil
3/4 lb Chinese thin egg noodles (fresh or dry)
3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
5 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
2 tablespoons sesame paste =OR=- peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons chili oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns (roasted and ground)

Directions:

Combine the pork, soy sauce and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Heat a wok or sauté pan until it is hot. Add the oil and deep-fry the pork, stirring with a spatula to break it into small pieces. When the pork is crispy and dry, about 4 minutes, remove it with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Pour off the oil, leaving 2 tablespoons in the wok. Reheat the wok and add the garlic, ginger and scallions, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Then add the sesame paste, soy sauce, chili oil, salt and chicken stock and simmer for 4 minutes.
Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water for 2 minutes if they are fresh or 5 minutes if they are dried. Drain the noodles well in a colander. Divide them into individual bowls or put in large soup tureen. Ladle on the sauce.