Name: Dan Dan Noodles
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT0H25M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H10M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT0H35M0.000S
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients: Sea salt; 1 pound flat Asian wheat noodles (such as udon); 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil; 2 tablespoons peanut oil; 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled ginger; 3 red Fresno chile peppers, seeded and finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 8 ounces ground beef; 1 tablespoon tahini (sesame paste); 1/2 cup finely diced cornichons or sweet gherkins; 1 tablespoon light soy sauce; 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry; 1 tablespoon Chinkiang black rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar; 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns; Freshly ground white pepper; For the toppings:; 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1/4 cup chili oil; 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil; 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce; 1 tablespoon ground Sichuan peppercorns; 3 red Fresno chile peppers, seeded and finely diced; 2 large scallions, thinly sliced; 1 small handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

Make the noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles, stir and cook until al dente, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain, then rinse under cold water and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon sesame oil and toss to coat.
Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until smoking and add the peanut oil. Add the ginger, chiles and garlic and stir-fry 30 seconds; add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
Combine the tahini and the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a small bowl. Add the cornichons to the wok. Stir in the tahini mixture, soy sauce, rice wine, vinegar and ground peppercorns; cook until the beef begins to crisp, 2 to 3 more minutes. Season with white pepper and remove from the heat.
Prepare the toppings: Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Combine the chili oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, ground peppercorns and chiles in a small bowl.
Divide the noodles among bowls and sprinkle the beef mixture evenly over each. Pour the hot broth over the noodles; top with the chili oil mixture, scallions and cilantro.