Dan Dan Noodles with Pork

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground pork
• 16 oz fresh egg noodles
• ½ cup Sichuan preserved vegetables (zha cai)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger
• 4 scallions
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar (black vinegar)
• 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 4 tbsp chili oil with flakes
• 4 tbsp sesame paste (tahini can be substituted)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup roasted peanuts (optional)

Steps

1. Finely mince garlic and ginger. Chop scallions, separating white and green parts. Roughly chop Sichuan preserved vegetables.
2. Heat 1 tbsp peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and cook, breaking it up, until browned and crispy. Drain excess fat. Add chopped Sichuan preserved vegetables, minced ginger, and white parts of scallions. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
3. While pork cooks, prepare the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, sesame paste, chili oil, sugar, and chicken broth. Grind Sichuan peppercorns to a fine powder and stir into the sauce.
4. Cook noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.
5. Divide the sauce evenly among 4 serving bowls. Add cooked noodles to each bowl, tossing to coat with the sauce.
6. Top each bowl of noodles with a generous portion of the cooked pork mixture. Garnish with green parts of scallions and optional crushed roasted peanuts.