Dandan noodles


Dandan noodles or dandanmian is a noodle dish originating from Chinese Sichuan cuisine. It consists of a spicy sauce usually containing preserved vegetables, lower enlarged mustard stems, or ya cai, chili oil, Sichuan pepper, minced pork, and scallions served over noodles. The dish can either be served dry or as a noodle soup.
Sesame paste and/or peanut butter is sometimes added, and occasionally replaces the spicy sauce, usually in the American Chinese style of the dish. In this case, dandanmian is considered as a variation of ma jiang mian, sesame sauce noodles, although ma jiang mian usually refers to a specific Shanghainese dish. In American Chinese cuisine, dandanmian is often sweeter, less spicy, and less soupy than its Sichuan counterpart.

Origin and name

The name refers to a type of carrying pole that was used by walking street vendors who sold the dish to passers-by. The pole was carried over the shoulder, with two baskets containing noodles and sauce attached at either end. As the noodles were affordable due to their low cost, the local people gradually came to call them dandan noodles, referencing the street vendors. The name translates directly as "noodles carried on a pole", but may be better translated as "peddler's noodles".
A variety of English spellings are used. The first word may be either dandan, dundun or tantan, and the last word may also be spelled mein.

Related dishes

The same sauce is frequently served over poached chicken, and on steamed, meat-filled dumplings in another Sichuan dish called suanla chaoshou. The corresponding Japanese dish is tantan-men, a form of ramen.