Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or homemade Chinese chicken stock (see Recipe Notes)
• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce, divided
• 2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as rapeseed or canola
• 2 star anise pods
• 10 to 12 ounces ground pork or ground beef
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 3 to 4 ounces suimiyacai (aka Yibin yacai) or other fermented mustard green

To assemble:

• 12 ounces dried thin wheat noodles
• Handful of spinach or other dark leafy greens, such as yu choy (optional)
• 2 medium scallions (optional)
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
• Chili crisp

Instructions

1. Make the dan dan sauce: Place 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or homemade Chinese chicken stock, 2 tablespoons of the light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoons black vinegar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns, and 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined. Mince 4 garlic cloves, add to the bowl, and stir to combine.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil to a wok or large skillet over low heat until shimmering. Add 2 star anise pods and cook, swirling the pods occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add 10 to 12 ounces ground pork or ground beef and break until into small pieces with a spatula or spoon. Stir fry until completely crumbled in texture and uniformly gray, about 5 minutes.
3. Increase the heat to medium-low. Add 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine and stir-fry until all the liquid has evaporated and the pork is browned, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon light soy sauce and 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, and stir-fry until evenly combined. Add 3 to 4 ounces suimiyacai and stir-fry until the yacai is fragrant, about 3 minutes more. The mixture should be loose and dry, and the meat chewy-crisp. Discard the star anise and transfer the mixture to a bowl.
4. When ready to serve, bring a large pot of unsalted water to boil. Add 12 ounces thin wheat noodles and cook according to package instructions. Meanwhile, mince 2 medium scallions if using. Place 1/2 cup roasted peanuts in a resealable zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin or bottom of a pot.
5. Remove the noodles with a spider or tongs to a colander to drain. Add a handful of spinach or other greens to the noodle water and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain.
6. Assemble each bowl of dan dan noodles in this order: A few spoonfuls of dan dan sauce, chili crisp to taste, noodles, about 1/2 cup ground pork, spinach, peanuts, and scallions. Remember that it’s not a ragu — you don’t need to overload the pork and the spinach. Let it be a symphony.

Recipe Notes

Substitutions: For those with peanut allergies, look for a chili crisp without peanuts, and substitute toasted sesame seeds for the crunchy peanut topping

Make ahead: Everything, except the noodles, can be made several days ahead and refrigerated, covered, until ready to use. Meat and sauce should be brought to room temperature or warmed slightly in the microwave before serving.

Chinese-style chicken stock: Submerge 1 chicken carcass, or mix of chicken wings and pork bones, in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim the scum from the top as the water boils until the chicken is no longer releasing a lot of scum. Dump out the water, rinse the chicken, and add to a fresh pot of water along with 4 to 5 pieces of ginger. Bring to a boil on high heat, turn to low, and simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 hours, or until the stock has concentrated down to a quart of liquid.

Crunchy crushed peanuts: To take this recipe to the next level, fry your own peanuts instead of using roasted peanuts. Place 2 tablespoons neutral oil and 1/2 cup skinless peanuts in a wok or small skillet over medium heat. Use a spatula to constantly move and flip the peanuts, letting the oil penetrate evenly, until they begin to sizzle, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue frying until the peanuts begin to turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Turn off the heat and continue turning the peanuts for another minute, or until they stop sizzling. Let the peants drain and cool on a paper towel for 20 minutes before crushing.

Storage: If noodles have been tossed with the meat and sauce, leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.