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Overhead of ground lamb dan dan noodles on bok choy leaves, scattered with chopped peanuts, green onions and chili flakes.
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Ground Lamb Dan Dan Noodles

Cancel the takeout order for good! Spicy, nutty, lip-tingling dan dan noodles with ground lamb land on your table in 35 minutes, and the whole bowl is yours.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 4 (each bowl: 3 oz noodles, 4 oz ground lamb before cooking, 1/2 cup baby bok choy and a generous 1/4 cup dan dan sauce)
Calories: 1005kcal
Author: Abi Gunasekaran

Equipment

Ingredients

For the ground lamb

  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • 2 tablespoons green onion whites finely sliced

For the Dan Dan sauce

  • 1/4 cup Chinese sesame paste or tahini
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup chili oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns
  • 1/3 cup hot noodle cooking water as needed

For the noodles

  • 12 oz fresh or dried white noodles
  • 2 cups baby bok choy

For serving

  • 2 green onions thinly sliced
  • Chopped roasted peanuts
  • Extra chili oil

Instructions

Make the Dan Dan Sauce

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the sesame paste, soy sauce, chili oil, honey, garlic, and ground Sichuan peppercorns. Set aside.
    Chili oil, minced garlic and ground Sichuan pepper in a wide white bowl, ready to be whisked into dan dan sauce.

Cook the Lamb

  • Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground lamb and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned.
    Ground lamb browning into small crumbles in a cast iron skillet.

Season the Lamb

  • Add the green onion whites and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and Chinese five-spice powder. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the lamb is well coated and slightly caramelized. Remove from heat.
    Browned ground lamb with sliced green onion whites in a cast iron skillet, a wooden spoon resting in the pan.

Cook the Noodles and Bok Choy

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Add the baby bok choy during the last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking.
    Cooked thin white noodles draining in a metal strainer basket.

Reserve Noodle Water

  • Before draining, reserve at least 1/2 cup of the hot noodle cooking water. Drain the noodles and bok choy.

Finish the Sauce

  • Gradually whisk about 1/3 cup hot noodle water into the Dan Dan sauce until smooth, creamy, and pourable. Add a little more water if needed.
    Dan dan sauce whisked smooth into a glossy sesame-chili sauce in a white bowl.

Toss the Noodles

  • Add the hot noodles to the sauce and toss until evenly coated.
    Noodles tossed in dan dan sauce in a white bowl, lifted with black tongs.

Assemble and Serve

  • Divide the noodles and bok choy among bowls. Top with the seasoned ground lamb, sliced green onions, and chopped roasted peanuts. Finish with extra chili oil and enjoy.
    Two bowls of ground lamb dan dan noodles surrounded by bowls of green onions, peanuts, chili oil and extra browned lamb.

Notes

  • Chinese sesame paste gives the most traditional nutty flavor, but tahini works well and is easier to find.
  • Sichuan peppercorns add the characteristic warm, citrusy numbing flavor; start with less if you're new to them.
  • For a saucier bowl, keep extra noodle water nearby and loosen the sauce just before serving.
  • Store the noodles, lamb, and bok choy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add a splash of water when reheating to loosen the sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 1005kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 65g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 32g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 3018mg | Potassium: 576mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 5379IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 218mg | Iron: 8mg