DAN DAN NOODLES

Frequently asked questions

• What are some essential ingredients for making Asian noodle dishes?

  The essential ingredients required in Asian noodle recipes are:
  Noodles
  Dan dan sauce
  Vegetables
  Ginger, garlic, and scallion
  Meat (if one wishes to)

• Can I use any type of meat or proteins in Asian noodle recipes?

  Yes. It depends on personal preferences.

• Are there any vegetarian or vegan Asian noodle recipes?

  Yes, there are many vegetarian and vegan Asian noodle recipes available.

• How long do I need to cook Chinese noodles?

  The amount of time needed to prepare a Chinese noodle recipe varies according to the type of noodle and whether they are fresh or dried.

• How are Chinese noodles typically prepared?

  There are countless traditional Chinese noodle dishes that vary greatly from each other depending on where it originated from, the type of flour used to make the noodles themselves, the size of the noodles, and the way it is prepared. Below are some examples of traditional Chinese noodle dishes that may be familiar to many people:
  
  Zhajiang Mian is a dry mixed Chinese noodle originating from Beijing as well as Northeastern China. It is made with medium width, often flat wheat noodles, and dressed in a thick, chunky dark fermented soybean sauce. It’s extremely savory and is often garnished with raw sliced cucumbers to balance the saltiness of the noodles.
  Lanzhou La Mian is a soup noodle originating from Northwestern China. Because the region is highly populated with Chinese muslims and ethnic groups originating from Central Asian, they had brought the art of hand-stretched noodles into the region. The soup base for this highly popular Chinese noodle soup is also made from beef and/or lamb.
  You Po Mian aka Oil Splash Noodle is a dry mix noodle from Central China, also known as the cradle of Chinese civilization. This earthy, arid plateau is said to be home to the earliest tribes the civilization descended from. Millet was the staple grain until wheat was introduced from the Middle East. The people there make fresh hand cut, hand-pulled noodles topped with spices and aromatics that are quickly “fried” with a splash of hot oil, releasing fragrance and removing the bitter raw taste of the dried spices.
  Dan Dan Mian is a semi dry mix noodle from Sichuan province in Southwestern China. It’s semi dry because a ladle of broth or noodle cooking water is often added to the noodles to prevent the sesame based sauce in the noodles to dry up. Indicative of the region where the noodle originated from, the main characteristic of this Chinese noodle is the marriage of Ma (mouth tingling sensation from the Sichuan peppercorns) and La (spiciness and hotness) from the chilies. This noodle is often made with a dozen different condiments and spices, and this is why we introduced our Dan Dan Sauce, to help make the noodle more accessible at home and more convenient to make, while delivering great taste and quality alongside convenience.
  Moving to Southern China, where rice becomes more prevalent than wheat, we see many types of rice noodles such as Ho Fun from the Guangdong province, and Mi Xian from Yunnan Province. Rice noodles of various sizes and various levels of chewiness can be found from region to region.

• Can I make Chinese noodles at home?

  Yes, most definitely. We created our Dan Dan Sauce so that you can make a bowl of Dan Dan Noodle, or spicy soup noodle at home by following our recipes

• What sauces go well with Chinese noodles?

  The sauces that go well with the noodles are:
  Garlic sauce
  Soy sauce
  Fish sauce
  Dan Dan Sauce
  Oyster Sauce
  Hoisin sauce
  Black Rice Vingar

• What ingredients do I need to make Dan Dan Noodles?

  For the Dan Dan noodle recipe, you need:
  Noodles
  Oil
  Toppings - vegetables, meat (as you desire), peanuts/ soybean
  Dan Dan Sauce

• Are Dan Dan noodles spicy?

  Yes. The Dan Dan noodles are spicy.

• Can I substitute any ingredients in the Dan Dan Noodles recipe?

  Yes. You can make changes in the ingredients as per your taste, beliefs, and dietary restrictions (if any). This includes:
  

  Instead of	Use
  Ground Pork	Beef, chicken, or turkey If you are vegetarian, or vegan, you can go with tofu.
  In the absence of Sichuan peppercorns	black peppercorns or, for a similar spicy flavor, a combination of black peppercorns with red pepper flakes.
  When Chinese sesame paste is unavailable	Peanut butter can step in as the closest alternative to Chinese sesame paste. Tahini, on the other hand, has not been roasted long enough to give the same flavor as Chinese sesame paste, therefore we prefer to use peanut butter over tahini.

  These are the few substitutes that can be made for your Dan Dan noodles.

• How should I serve Dan Dan Noodles?

  Dan Dan Noodles should be served hot, and there are several ways to present and garnish them depending on personal preference. Here are a few common ways to serve the noodles:
  Serve in individual bowls, topped with the meat and vegetable sauce, and garnished with chopped scallions, chopped peanuts, and chili oil or flakes.
  Mix the noodles with the sauce in a large bowl, and serve family-style, garnished with the same toppings.
  Serve the noodles and sauce separately, allowing each person to customize their own bowl with the desired amount of sauce and toppings.
  Add additional vegetables or protein to the noodles, such as bok choy, bean sprouts, sliced chicken or beef, or tofu, depending on preference.