Accounting for Taste

Sichuan dan dan noodles are traditionally made with ground pork, a spicy sauce and sui mi ya cai, or pickled vegetables, but this vegan version features pan-fried eggplant in place of the meat.

Cutting the eggplant into relatively chunky pieces and covering the pot with a lid while cooking is the key to achieving the right texture: It locks in moisture, ensures that the pieces don’t fall apart, and allows the flesh to become tender and smoky. Once tossed with the noodles and sauce, the eggplant breaks up and becomes creamy. If you don’t have tahini, you can substitute it with smooth peanut butter (our choice) or almond butter.

NOTE: You can also use egg noodles but the dish will no longer be vegan.

Vegan Dan Dan Noodles With Eggplant

Servings: 4
Time: 30 min
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

For the Sauce

3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. black or rice vinegar
¼ cup tahini (or Chinese/Japanese sesame paste)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated or chopped
1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated or chopped (about 1 Tbsp.)
2 to 3 Tbsp. chile oil, chile crisp or doubanjiang
2 tsp. granulated sugar

For the Noodles

1 large eggplant (about 1¼lbs.), trimmed
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
12 oz. dried thin wheat noodles (see Note)
Neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
Black pepper
½ tsp. ground Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
2 scallions, white and green parts separated and finely sliced
A generous pinch of granulated sugar
Handful of cilantro leaves
1 cup dry, unsalted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
Chile oil or chile crisp, for serving

Directions

Make the sauce: Combine the soy sauce, black or rice vinegar, tahini, garlic, ginger, chile oil and granulated sugar in a bowl, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Slice the eggplant crosswise into ¾-inch-thick circles, then cut each circle into 1½- to 2-inch pieces. (They should be quite chunky.)
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain the noodles, rinse just for a few seconds to remove some of the starchy water (they should still be hot), and allow them to drain.
Meanwhile, cook the eggplant: Heat a wok or large, deep-sided skillet over medium-high. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of neutral oil along with the eggplant, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper, and toss well to combine. Cover with a lid and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, tossing every 60 seconds. If it starts to burn, reduce the heat to medium. The eggplant is ready when it is caramelized and cooked all the way through but still intact. (Don’t let it get mushy.) Remove the lid, sprinkle with the ground Sichuan peppercorns (if using), the white parts of the scallions and the sugar, and season with ½ teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Toss for 30 seconds and then turn off the heat.
Add the reserved noodle cooking water to the bowl of sauce and whisk to combine. Divide the sauce among four serving bowls.
Divide the noodles among the four bowls, on top of the sauce. Finish each bowl with eggplant, scallion greens, a few cilantro leaves and some peanuts.
To eat, toss everything together so that the noodles and eggplant are well coated in the sauce. Serve topped with chile oil or crisp.

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Recipe by Hetty Lui McKinnon for NYTimes Cooking