Dan Dan Noodles

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground pork
• 16 oz Chinese wheat noodles
• ¼ cup Sichuan preserved mustard greens (ya cai)
• ¼ cup Sichuan chili oil
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 4 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
• 3 tbsp sesame paste (tahini can be substituted)
• 4 clove garlic
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp peanut oil (or other neutral oil)
• 4 scallions (optional)
• ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts (optional)

Steps

1. Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, combine chili oil, soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame paste, sugar, and finely minced 2 cloves of garlic. Whisk until well combined.
2. Cook the pork: Heat peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess fat. Add the remaining 2 cloves of minced garlic, grated ginger, and preserved mustard greens; stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
3. Toast Sichuan peppercorns: In a dry pan, toast Sichuan peppercorns over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Grind them into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
4. Cook the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook the wheat noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.
5. Assemble: Divide the sauce evenly among 4 serving bowls. Add a portion of the hot noodles to each bowl, tossing to coat them in the sauce.
6. Serve: Top each bowl of noodles with a generous spoonful of the cooked pork mixture. Garnish with chopped scallions and roasted peanuts, if desired. Sprinkle with ground Sichuan peppercorn powder just before serving.