Budget Dan Dan Noodles
Craving dan dan noodles on a budget? This easy version uses a clever spaghetti hack for chewy noodles and a creamy dan dan sauce, all for £1 a bowl.
Servings: 5
Calories: 430kcal
Ingredients
- 300 g spaghetti
- 500 g 5% fat chicken mince
- 200 g choi sum, steamed
- 5 spring onions, thinly sliced
Dan Dan Sauce
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tsp Chinese 5-spice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chilli oil
- 200 ml chicken stock
Cupboard Essentials
- 1 tbsp sesame or neutral oil
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp honey
Instructions
- Brown the seasoned chicken mince in sesame oil over high heat for about 5 minutes without stirring.
- Add soy sauce and honey, stir to combine, and fry for a further 3 to 4 minutes until the mince is browned and all the moisture has cooked off.
- Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water with 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda for the packet time minus 1 minute, then drain and rinse under cold water.
- Mix all the dan dan sauce ingredients in a small bowl, then add to the saucepan with the noodles and toss to combine, loosening with extra stock if needed.
- Top with the browned mince, steamed choi sum and spring onions. Serve with extra chilli crisp and sesame seeds if you like.
Notes
• Brown the mince hard and resist the urge to stir too early, that undisturbed contact with the pan is where the crispy, flavour-packed edges come from.
• Don’t skip the bicarb, but do rinse the spaghetti well afterwards so you’re left with the chew and not any soapy aftertaste.
• Give your peanut butter a proper stir before measuring, since the oil tends to separate and you want a smooth, pourable dan dan sauce.
• Don’t skip the bicarb, but do rinse the spaghetti well afterwards so you’re left with the chew and not any soapy aftertaste.
• Give your peanut butter a proper stir before measuring, since the oil tends to separate and you want a smooth, pourable dan dan sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 14g