Dan Dan Noodles | La Cucina Grandinetti

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Szechuan peppercorns
• 1 inch-long piece of Chinese cinnamon
• 2 star anise
• 1 cup oil
• 1/4 cup crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 teaspoons oil
• 1 pound ground pork
• 4 teaspoons sweet bean sauce or hoisin sauce
• 4 teaspoons shaoxing wine
• 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon five spice powder
• 4 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste
• 6 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
• 1 teaspoon Sezchuan peppercorn powder (we ground whole Sezchuan peppercorns in a mortar and pestle)
• 1/2 cup of your prepared chili oil (scary, but yes!)
• 2 cloves garlic, very finely minced
• 1/2 cup hot cooking water from the noodles
• 1-1/2 pounds fresh or dried white noodles, medium thickness
• 1 small bunch leafy greens (spinach, bok choy, or choy sum)
• chopped peanuts (optional)
• chopped scallion (optional)