Dan Dan Noodles

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I love this noodle dish as it’s meant to be, spicy. However my family, particularly my kids, do not like heat, so this recipe is perfect for us. I’ve lightened up the dish with ground chicken, but you can use ground pork or turkey or keep it vegetarian and omit the meat entirely. It’s a quick meal that everyone will enjoy.

Tips:

• If you want to stretch this dish more, add the whole pound of pasta, but you will need to double the sauce. Add the pasta water to the sauce to thin it out a bit.

• Adjust the heat with the chili oil

• Chinese black vinegar can be found in many market and easily in an asian market. A good substitute is balsamic vinegar- it is similar in color, but sweeter than black vinegar.

Dan Dan Noodles

Recipe from Food Network

Serves 4 as a main

PREP 15 minutes

COOK 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar

1 tablespoon chili oil

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 lb. ground chicken

8 oz. ramen noodles or any noodle you prefer or can find

TOPPING

1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

3 scallions, finely chopped

julienned carrots and cucumbers

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, black vinegar, and chili oil into the bowl of a mini-food processor. Process until the mixture is well combined and forms a paste, 1 to 2 minutes.

2. With the processor running, gradually add the chicken broth and process until the sauce is creamy and well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, cover, and set aside while you prepare the rest of the dish.

3. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat add the vegetable oil. Cook the ground chicken until the chicken is cooked through. Avoid touching it too much to allow the meat to develop a nice crust on the bottom. Once cooked through, remove from heat and set aside.

4. Place 4 quarts water into a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Drain thoroughly in a colander.

5. Add the noodles to the bowl with the sauce and ground chicken and toss to combine. Serve topped with the peanuts and scallions.