Updated post (first published Oct. 2012)

Whenever I eat out at a Sichuan restaurant, one of my favorite dishes to order is dan dan noodles. It's one of those quintessential Sichuan dishes, a rustic and simple dish that's also packed with flavor.

Traditionally, the sauce for the noodles is made with ground pork or beef, cooked with a delicious blend of sesame paste, sesame oil, dark vinegar, chili oil, and Sichuan pepper. But every once in a while, I like to do a vegetarian version using tofu and shiitake mushrooms. And this is not a dish just for vegans; the sauce and the shiitake mushrooms have so much satisfying umami flavor you'd hardly miss the meat at all.

In Sichuan province, if you were to order dan dan noodles at a restaurant, the noodles would be swimming in a pool of red oil. My version is much more bearable for anyone who didn't grow up eating scorching food for every meal, while still maintaining the deep spicy flavor. I like to use about 1/4 chili oil for this recipe (which makes a lot of noodles!), but feel free to start out with less and adjust the spiciness level as you go along.

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vegan, noodles, vegetarian

recipes

Chinese

Yield: 4

Author: Diana Kuan

Vegan Dan Dan Noodles

A quick and easy vegan version of Sichuan dan dan noodles.

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 40 Min

Ingredients

8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 block firm or extra firmed tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound fresh noodles or 12 ounces dried noodles (spaghetti and linguine are great substitutes, and sturdier than dried Chinese noodles!)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced and separated
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon salt, or salt to taste
1 handful dry-roasted peanuts, finely chopped

Sauce

1/4 cup water
1/3 cup tahini or Chinese sesame paste
3 tablespoons chili oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese black rice vinegar, or substitute good quality balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper, or substitute 1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes

Instructions

Soak the shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes, until softened. Drain the shiitakes and squeeze out the excess water. Finely chop them and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain the noodles, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Transfer the noodles to a serving dish.
Prepare the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce. Toss with the sesame oil to prevent them from sticking together, and set aside.
Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the base and sides. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tofu. Pour the sauce over everything and carefully stir to prevent breaking up the tofu. Adjust the seasoning with salt if desired.
Spoon the tofu and mushroom mixture over the noodles, sprinkle the chopped scallion greens and chopped peanuts on top, and serve.

Notes:

Trust me when I say spaghetti and linguine are great substitutes, and sturdier than dried Chinese noodles found in the U.S. There are numerous, well-regarded restaurants who also use spaghetti in their dan dan noodles, included the wonderful Han Dynasty in NY.