Dandan noodles are the most famous Sichuanese street snack. They were first sold by men who wandered the alleys of Chengdu, carrying their stoves, noodles and secret-recipe sauces in baskets hanging from a bamboo shoulderpole (dan means 'to carry on a shoulderpole'). Older people can remember the days when these vendors were a common sight and their calls of 'dandan mian!' rang out in every quarter. The noodles were served in small portions, just enough to ease the hunger of scholars working late or mahjong players gambling into the night. They were cheap and nourishing, and enjoyed by everyone from odd-jobbers to the very wealthy, whose servants were sent to the gateways of the old courtyard houses to flag down passing noodle-vendors. The name didn't originally refer to a particular style of noodles, but it is now firmly associated with the following recipe, made with Yibin yacai and minced pork.

Some say that dandan noodles were first sold in the mid-nineteenth century by a pedlar called Chen Baobao in the salt-mining city of Zigong and were originally vegetarian; only later, when they became popular in Chengdu, did people start adding minced pork. The distinguishing characteristic of dandan noodles, apart from their spiciness, is that they are 'dry-tossed' (ganban) — that is, made without stock. They look quite innocent when served, but when you mix the noodles into the sauce at the bottom of the bowl, they come alive with spice and tingliness. This recipe makes 2 servings.

Method

1. First make the topping. Heat the cooking oil in a seasoned wok over a high flame. Add the ginger and stir-fry briefly until you can smell it, then add the pork and stir-fry until it changes colour. Splash in the Shaoxing wine. When the pork has lost its water content and smells delicious, tilt the wok and push the pork up one side so the oil pools in the base. Add the sweet flour sauce to the oil and stir-fry until you can smell it. Tilt the wok back and stir in the pork, followed by both soy sauces. Stir thoroughly, then season with salt to taste and set aside.
2. Dilute the sesame paste with about 2 tsp oil from the jar, so that it has a runny consistency. Heat the cooking oil in a seasoned wok over a medium flame. Add the preserved vegetable and stir-fry briefly until hot and fragrant. Divide the sesame paste and preserved vegetable between two bowls, along with all the other ingredients except the noodles and leafy greens.
3. Boil the noodles to your liking, adding the leafy greens for the last few seconds to wilt them. Tip the noodles and greens into a colander and drain well, then divide between the bowls and top with the pork mixture. Mix everything together before eating.