Chef, food writer and businesswoman Jing Gao pays tribute to an iconic condiment in her book The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp: Spicy Recipes and Stories from Fly By Jing’s Kitchen. The founder and CEO of Fly By Jing includes her own formula for chili crisp as the precursor for recipes like this spicy street food classic, dan dan noodles.

Gao writes: “Happiness for me is slurping a deep bowl of these classic noodles – they’re an iconic Sichuan street food dish for a reason! They rose to fame in Chengdu, where they were sold by street hawkers, who carried their wares in baskets tied to bamboo poles (called dan in Chinese); hence, their namesake. Because they’re so famous, there are countless variations that have evolved from the original, from Taiwanese to Japanese versions. The beauty of these noodles is that they’re delicious no matter what, but these are the dan dan noodles I know.

“An essential ingredient in dan dan noodles is yacai, preserved mustard greens. They add the necessary deep umami funk and crunch that make dan dan noodles so addictive. Yibin Suimi Yacai is the brand to get, but it can be hard to find. Try your local Chinese grocery store or search online. If you absolutely cannot find it, you can do without it.”

Jing Gao’s Dan Dan Noodles

Three light pink bowls filled with noodles, one with them coming up out of the bowl, on a light pink tablecloth

Jing Gao's Dan Dan Noodles

The Fly By Jing founder shares her recipe for an iconic Sichuanese street food dish: dan dan noodles.

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese, Sichuanese

Servings 4

Ingredients

Meat

neutral oil for frying
2 tbsp Yibin Suimi Yacai
¼ lb (115 g) ground beef or pork
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce

Sauce

4 tbsp Sichuan Chili Crisp
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp Ground Roasted Sichuan Pepper plus more for garnish
4 tbsp thinly sliced scallions green parts only, plus more for garnish
1 lb (450 g) dried thin Chinese wheat noodles or noodles of your choice

Instructions

In a wok over high heat, warm the oil until very hot. Add the suimi yacai and stir-fry for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the ground meat and both soy sauces and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the meat is brown but not dry.
In a small bowl, combine the chili crisp, both soy sauces, roasted Sichuan pepper and scallions. Divide the sauce evenly into four small bowls.
In a medium pot over high heat, bring water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop them from cooking further.
When ready to serve, divide the noodles among the four bowls with the sauce and top with the ground meat. Garnish with the scallions and a dash of roasted Sichuan pepper.

Jing Gao’s Sichuan Chili Crisp

Jing Gao's Sichuan Chili Crisp

The Fly By Jing founder's recipe for her most popular product, Sichuan Chili Crisp.

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Course Condiment

Cuisine Chinese, Sichuanese

Servings 3 cups

Ingredients

Ground Chili Powder

1 tbsp neutral oil
⅓ cup (50 g) dried chilies such as erjingtiao

Ground Roasted Sichuan Pepper

2 tbsp whole Sichuan pepper

Sichuan Chili Crisp

2 cups Sichuan rapeseed or neutral oil
1 piece cassia bark
2 pieces star anise
1-2 pieces cardamom
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
¼ cup preserved black beans
½ cup Ground Chili Powder
2 tbsp mushroom powder
2⅓ tbsp kosher salt
2 tsp Ground Roasted Sichuan Pepper
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp fried shallots store-bought
2 tbsp fried minced garlic store-bought

Instructions

Ground Chili Powder

Remove the stems of the chilies and cut them into segments.
In a wok or frying pan over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the chilies to the pan, stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, until the chilies smell very aromatic and deepen in color to a bright red. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind the chilies to a powder. It’s up to you whether to grind them to a fine powder or leave coarse. You can use the ground chilies for chili oil, stir-fries, or many other recipes. Use immediately and store remainder in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.

Ground Roasted Sichuan Pepper

Heat a wok or frying pan over low heat and add the Sichuan pepper, stirring with a spatula to toast it evenly. Toast for 3 to 4 minutes, making sure not to burn the pepper. Good Sichuan pepper will still have a lot of its oils and fragrance that will be released as you toast it. Remove the wok from the heat and set it aside to cool.
Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind the pepper to a fine powder. You’ll find that the inner husk of the Sichuan pepper is hard to grind and will be quite visible. Since it doesn’t have any flavour, it should ideally be sifted out for the best flavour experience. I usually pass mine through a fine-mesh strainer. Use the Sichuan pepper immediately.

Sichuan Chili Crisp

In a large wok or frying pan over high heat, warm the rapeseed oil to 350°F (175°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Add the cassia bark, star anise and cardamom and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until their fragrances have been released into the oil. (You’ll know when this has happened when the spices stop bubbling in the oil.) Pour the oil through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the spices.
Add the garlic, ginger and preserved black beans to the oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Bring the oil to 260°F (125°C) and add the chili powder, mushroom powder, salt and roasted Sichuan pepper, stirring to combine and making sure the salt is fully dissolved. Remove the wok from the heat and let the ingredients simmer in the hot oil for a few minutes. Stir in the sesame oil, shallots and garlic. Allow the mixture to cool.
Transfer the sauce to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 6 months or in the refrigerator for up to 12 months. You can use the chili crisp right away, but since the flavor develops over time, you’ll find it intensifying after a few days and even more so after a few weeks. Since the solid bits will settle at the bottom, make sure to always mix up the chili oil with a spoon before each use!