Dan Dan Noodles

The sauce keeps refrigerated for 3 days; reheat gently and thin with stock if it thickens. Cook noodles fresh just before serving, as they soften quickly. You can cook the pork ahead and reheat it, or prep all ingredients and assemble when you eat.

Use natural peanut butter (no added sugar or oil) and add an extra 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil to the sauce. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious; tahini can also work in a pinch, though it is more subtle.

Start with 2 tablespoons chili oil and taste after coating the noodles, then add more if desired. The Sichuan peppercorn produces a numbing sensation (not just heat); if you dislike that, reduce it to 1/2 teaspoon instead.

Yes, omit the pork entirely and add an extra 1/2 cup blanched bok choy, mushrooms, or tofu. The sauce and noodles are already vegan if you ensure your chili oil, sesame paste, and stock are plant-based.

Fresh Chinese egg noodles give the best texture and are traditional, but dried ramen, spaghetti, or linguine work well too. Avoid very thin noodles (angel hair) as they become mushy; thicker noodles hold the sauce better.

Store noodles and sauce separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat sauce gently over low heat with a splash of stock to restore consistency, then toss with fresh noodles, or briefly warm noodles alone and pour sauce over. Do not microwave noodles as they become rubbery.