Each year, more people embark on a month of plant-based eating during January called “Veganuary”, I thought it would be helpful to share a recipe that will dispel any fears that vegan food is always bland or worthy. This is a rich and feisty noodle dish – Dan Dan Mian.
This dish has its origins in Sichuan, a province in the west of China, with a damp climate, grey skies and fertile soil. Sichuan cuisine is famed for its wealth of dishes (estimated at 5,000 different recipes), its eponymous “peppercorn” (which numbs and prickles the lips and tongue) and its devotion to the fire and power of chillies -whether fresh, pickled or dried. There is a lot more to Sichuan cuisine than just chilli heat and numbing spice – but this recipe truly celebrates both these fierce and delicious elements.
It’s a very sensual dish – tangles of noodles, slick with a fiery, sesame coating, flecked scarlet with chilli oil are studded with flavourful, minced vegetable “meat”. It is also extremely satisfying – great for people with huge appetites and a craving for flavour.
The best noodles to use are Chinese wheat noodles (without egg). You can substitute with durum wheat spaghetti (which is very cheap). The traditional recipe uses minced pork or beef as a topping. I thought about using soy mince as a substitute, but decided against it. Instead, I make “meat” out of ground mushrooms, celery and peanuts then cook it with garlic, Chinkiang vinegar and some not-v-authentic red wine.
I prefer to serve this dish in a large bowl, mix the sauce, noodles and topping together, then let people help themselves. Not suitable for chilli-cowards or carb-dodgers. Don’t wear a white shirt. Don’t try to be dainty.
Vegan Dan Dan Mian
200g Chinese wheat noodles or durum wheat spaghetti
For the “meat” topping
150g button mushrooms, stalks removed
1/2 head of celery -leaves and all
100g salted peanuts
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
2 tbsp red wine
For the sauce
1 heaped tbsp sesame paste
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp chilli oil.
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 heaped tsp Sichuan peppercorns, ground in a pestle and mortar
200 ml boiling water
Using a food processor, blitz the mushrooms to a fine mince. Place in a large bowl. Do the same for the celery stalks and leaves and add to the mushrooms. Finally grind the peanuts to a rough powder and mix into the celery and mushroom mixture.
Place a small amount of vegetable oil (around 2 tbsp) into a large frying pan and briefly fry the garlic until it begins to release its scent. Add the vegetable and nut mixture and cook over a low heat for around ten minutes. Add the vinegar and wine, stir through until the liquid has evaporated
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the noodles/spaghetti and cook until tender. Drain
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a heatproof jug.
To assemble the noodles: Take a large container (I use a lidded, pottery casserole dish that I warm in the oven for ten minutes -but any large bowl will do)
Pour the sauce into the bowl. Arrange the drained noodles on top, then spread the “meat” over the top of the noodles. I sometimes add a few chopped coriander leaves to add some colour.
Using two large spoons, mix everything together. Serve, making sure everyone gets a good balance of sauce, noodle and “meat”.
hongkonggourmet 