I first fell for this dish (and Sichuan food) over 25 years ago at Szechuan Chongqing Restuarant in Vancouver's east side. We had "Tan Tan Noodles" every time we dined there over the last few decades. We were addicted. I introduced my soon-to-be wife to this dish and she too fell in love with it....probably more than I do.
Since then, my appreciation and knowledge of sichuan food has grown to be more sophisticated and I have come to realize that Szechuan Chongqing's rendition of these noodles is not authentic. Szechuan Chongqing's version of this dish is an "Americanized" peanutty concoction of noodles, peanut butter, chilis, garlic, and assorted other flavourings.
Dan Dan Mian (also called "Tan Tan Noodles") have two canonical "authentic" versions, both of which are outlined by Fuschia Dunlops excellent book The Land of Plenty. The two canonical styles are: the "Traditional Dan Dan Noodles" in the Chengdu style and the "Xie Laoban's Dan Dan Noodles". The difference between the two is in the sauce.
Tradition Dan Dan Mian has a tart, vinegary chili oil sauce that have the requisite ingredient: sichuan peppercorn.Without this peppercorn the dish just does not taste right. Xie Laoban's version has a thin sesame paste sauce with the same types of flavourings as the Tranditional version.
The Tradition Dan Dan Mian looks similar to this one from Golden Szechuan in Richmond. BC:
Note the thin, oily sauce with peanuts and pork. This particular restuarant, however, did not go far enough...more on that later.
Xie Laobon's version looks similar to this one from The Place Restaurant in Vancouver BC
This version uses a deep, toasted sesame paste as a flaovour base.
The third "inuathentic" version - the peanutty Americanized Dan Dan Noodle looks like this from Ba Guo Bu Yi in Richmond BC:
Peanut butter provides this version with a sweet creaminess that is irresistable to peanut butter fans (such as my wife).
to be continued....
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