Taigu Dandan Noodles

by Hong Gau of Taigu

Prep Time: 45 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Serves: 4

Dandan noodles have long been a staple on the menu at Taigu where they serve dandan made with pork, beef, chicken, tofu or eggplant. Hong Gau believes the soul of this dish lies in the sauce, and that’s what makes it so delicious. She believes the sauce tastes best with fresh noodles, which is what they make at her Middleton restaurant. However, not everyone has the time to make noodles from scratch, no matter how delicious. In that case, Hong suggests substituting lo mein, spaghetti or ramen as alternatives.

Ingredients

For Sauce:
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons grated ginger
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground pork
3 tablespoons cooking wine
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon black pepper
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shanxi black vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 scallions, chopped
3 tablespoons ya cai (crushed preserved vegetable) or your favorite kimchi (optional)
½ cup shredded carrots
2 tablespoon crushed peanuts
For Noodles:
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup water

Directions

To make the noodles, mix together the flour and water, and knead it into a dough until smooth. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set it aside for 30 minutes.
Split the dough into six pieces and roll each section into circles, approximately 10–12 inches in diameter. Use a knife to cut the dough into even strips ¼-inch thick or your preferred noodle thickness.
To make the sauce, in a wok (or cast iron pan), heat the sesame and vegetable oils over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic, and sauté until fragrant. Add the ground pork along with the cooking wine, salt, sugar, black pepper, soy sauce and vinegar. Simmer until the pork is browned, about 10 minutes. Then add the chili powder, scallions and ya cai. Turn off the heat and thoroughly mix them into the pork.
If you're using homemade noodles, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the noodles. Cook until the noodles float to the top. Drain the noodles in cold water and put them into the wok with the pork and sauce.
Stir in the shredded carrots. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired by adding more black vinegar and/or soy sauce. Place in bowls and top with crushed peanuts.