Da Dang Nang Noodles

Da Dang Nang Noodles

A spicy noodle bowl molded from the many cuisines of Southeast and mainland Asia. Inspired mainly from Dan Dan noodles in Szechuan China, this particular version has merged with aspects brought in from central Vietnam and Northern Thailand.

Ingredients

Ground Pork Mixture

• 1 pound Ground Pork (I usually ground my own and use pork belly, though pork shoulder or but would work just as well. I like the extra fattiness of the belly. You can also substitute beef, but it will have a slightly less rich flavor.)
• 1 2" Lap xuong / cheong,, skin removed and roughly chopped. (A Vietnamese / Chinese fermented and dried sausage.)
• 1 tbsp Fresh chopped garlic (I prefer to use the small Asian variety, though it may not be widely available in the states. One thing I learned cooking in Thai kitchens is that if the garlic bulbs are small enough yo don't have to peel the garlic. the paper thin skin just melts away in the saute.)
• 2 tbsp Chopped shallot (Again I usually use the small Asian Shallots, but any will do fine.)
• 1 tbsp Chopped fresh galangal or ginger (I would prefer galangal, you may can find it in a local Asian grocer. Always use fresh, never powdered. It really is a dish breaker.)
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce (Not sweet soy. This will add a touch of color and a little salty umami to the dish.)
• 2 tbsp Oyster sauce (This will again add some saltiness and Umami. You will notice the dish has little to no straight salt in the recipe. The individual components include enough seasoning to make the dish perfect.)
• 2 tbsp Fish Sauce (This has become a pretty common ingredient to procure across the US. I use a Chin Su brand in Vietnam, but usually use three crabs in the states.)

The Bowl

• 1 package Rice vermicelli (Cooked per package instructions, rinsed in cold water, and reserved for service.)
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts (Here you can chop them or leave them whole. It really depends on the size. If they are small enough I leave them whole.)
• 1/4 cup Chilli Jam (This is a must. I will add an additional recipe to make this at home if you can't find it. It adds a sweet spice to the dish that I just love.)
• 1/4 cup Chili oil or crisp (Some places call it chili crisp some call it chili oil. I make mine with a few modifications to make it more Southeast Asian than Chinese. I also use Szechuan peppercorns to give the dish that slight numbing effect. Additonally I put a link to this recipe at the bottom of the page.)
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion (Pretty straight forward)
• 1/4 cup cleaned baby mint. (leave the sprigs whole if you can. If you can only find large leaves then just chop them roughly.)
• 1/4 cup cleaned baby basil (Same as the mint, if you can only find large leaves then rough chop.)
• 1/4 cup any fresh vegetable (I often use cucumber and tomato. It gives the dish and added freshness with the mint and basil.)
• 1 each lime (cut in 4's)

Instructions

Prepare the pork

1. First begin with the pork. Place just enough cold oil in a hot wok to keep the pork from sticking while its fat begins to melt.
2. Add the garlic, shallots, Lap Xuong, ginger, and pork.
3. Stir and toss around the wok as the meat begins to brown and the aromatics begin open up.
4. As the pork is almost done add the soy, oyster, and fish sauces.
5. Reduce until the pork has absorbed most of the liquid and the mixture thickens slightly.

Building the bowl

1. Place a pot of hot water on the stove with a pasta basket
2. Place the Chilli Jam, Chili oil, pork mixture, and peanuts in the bottom of each bowl.
3. divide the noodles into 4 servings.
4. Flash heat each serving in the hot water with the pasta basket, be sure to let most of the water drain, and add to each bowl.
5. Top with the herbs, sliced cucumber, and tomatoes
6. Enjoy