Here’s my take on the classic Chinese Sichuan dish (note: it’s probably not traditional, haha); this spicy noodle dish combines the flavors of succulent minced pork with the floral spiciness of Sichuan peppercorns, the bright acidity of pickled mustard greens, fragrant chili oil, and savory toasted sesame paste. I paired it with pickled cucumbers, but you can also quickly blanch some bokchoy or spinach to accompany this dish as well!

RECIPE:

Sichuan peppercorns: In a small saucepan, quickly toast ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns for 2-3 minutes on high heat to release their floral aroma. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, and grind to a fine powder and set aside.
Prepare the Sauce:
a. In a large bowl, combine 2 tbsp sesame paste (tahini or even peanut butter, if you can’t find this at your local Asian grocer), 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp chili oil [I used my favorite pre-made version (shown here), but you can definitely make your own], ¼ tsp five-spice powder (for that cinnamon and star anise aroma), ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder (that you ground earlier), and 2 cloves of garlic (minced). Mix all ingredients together until well incorporated.
b. Modifications: If you enjoy that numbing sensation that uniquely comes with Sichuan peppercorns, feel free to add more. Likewise, if you like things VERY spicy, add an additional tbsp of chili oil.
c. Incrementally add some hot water if the sauce appears to thick (up to 1/3 cup). The consistency should mimic a salad dressing (not too thick or runny).
Prepare Ground Pork Mixture:
a. In a skillet or wok, heat 1 tsp oil (vegetable, canola, or corn) over medium high heat and brown ¾ pound ground pork (I used 80% lean ground pork shoulder).
b. Deglaze with 1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine (you can substitute with dry sherry if you can’t find this anywhere). Turn heat to low.
c. Add in ½ tbsp chili bean sauce (optional), 3 cloves of garlic (minced), ½ tbsp minced fresh ginger, 2 tsp dark/sweet soy sauce (for color & sweetness), 2 tsp hoisin sauce, and ½ tsp five spice powder, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
d. In the same skillet, sauté 1/3 cup pickled mustard greens (chopped) for 2-3 min. Turn off the heat, add the meat mixture back, and quickly toss to incorporate. Note: I used freshly pickled mustard greens, but you can more easily find preserved mustard greens (sui mi ya cai; 碎米芽菜) at your local Asian grocer (or order online).
e. Set aside mixture in a bowl until ready to plate.
Prepare the Noodles: Cook about 1 lb of noodles (I used fresh handmade flour noodles, but whatever long noodle you like should be fine. I’d try to avoid egg noodles if possible. Dry or fresh noodles are fine). Noodles should take about 3-5 minutes (follow your specific package instructions).
Plating:
a. In a large bowl, place 2 heaping spoons of sauce, followed by some noodles and then finally the pork mixture on top.
b. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts, more chili oil, pickled cucumber (finely diced cucumber mixed with some rice wine vinegar & sugar), and/or your favorite veggies (blanched in the pasta water for 20-30 sec). Mix together and enjoy immediately!