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Sauce recipe

Dan Dan Sauce

The nutty, numbing, chilli-oil sauce that sits under a bowl of Sichuan dan dan noodles. Stir, toss, slurp.

Dan Dan Sauce
The ratio
  • 2 partsSesame paste
  • 2 partsSoy sauce
  • 2 partsChilli oil
  • 1 partSugar + black vinegar
What you need
  • 2 tbsp Chinese sesame paste (or tahini)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Chinese black vinegar
  • 2 tsp caster sugar
  • 2-3 tbsp chilli oil with its sediment
  • 1/2 tsp ground roasted Sichuan peppercorns
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2-3 tbsp hot noodle water or stock, to loosen
Makes
About 150ml, enough for 2 big bowls of noodles
Ready in
5
Keeps
1 week in the fridge (loosen with hot water)
How to make it
  1. Stir the sesame paste in its jar first, because the oil separates.
  2. In a bowl, mix the sesame paste with the soy sauce a little at a time until smooth, so it doesn't seize.
  3. Stir in the black vinegar, sugar, chilli oil, Sichuan pepper, garlic and sesame oil.
  4. Just before serving, loosen it with hot noodle water until it's pourable, like thick cream.
  5. Divide between bowls, put hot noodles on top and toss well at the table.
About this sauce

Dan dan sauce is the mix of sesame paste, soy, black vinegar and chilli oil that waits at the bottom of the bowl in Sichuan dan dan noodles. The hot noodles go in on top and you toss everything together at the table, so every strand gets coated. Ground Sichuan pepper gives the tingly, numbing finish.

It's richer and hotter than Japanese goma dare, and nuttier than plain chilli crisp oil. Chinese sesame paste is made from toasted seeds, so it's darker than tahini; tahini works if that's what you have, with an extra drop of sesame oil.

What to put it on

Wheat noodles, wontons, cold noodles, steamed chicken, blanched greens and silken tofu.

It's the sauce for classic dan dan mian, and it's great spooned over spicy wontons or cold silken tofu. Read about Sichuan peppercorns and Chinese black vinegar.

Uses this sauce

Recipes that call for this sauce. Make a batch and cook one of these.

Pairs well with

Dishes this sauce suits. These recipes make their own glaze or dressing, so you can swap this sauce in.