Authentic Homemade Dan Dan Noodles

Pour 100ml of oil into a heated wok, add 120g minced shallots, 120g minced onion, and 40g minced garlic and stir-fry. Make sure the heat isn't too high otherwise the garlic will burn and turn bitter. Once golden, add 50g chili bean paste and 5g chili powder, stir well, turn off the heat, and remove to a bowl.

Heat the wok until smoking, add 10ml oil, 5g minced ginger, and 300g minced pork, stir-frying until separated. Next, add 15ml Shaoxing wine, 3g onion powder, 20g granulated sugar, 40g minced pickled mustard greens, and a small amount of dark soy sauce and mix. Pour in 200ml chicken stock, cover with the lid, and simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, open the lid, drizzle in a thickening mixture made of 5g tapioca starch and 15ml water, keeping track of the thickness, and remove to a bowl once thickened.

Place 280g smooth peanut butter and 40g sesame sauce in a bowl, then slowly add 30g Sichuan peppercorn oil, 30g chili oil, and 40g sesame oil, mixing slowly until all oils are fully incorporated and smooth.

Bring water to a boil in a small pot, and put 4 portions of Shanghai noodles into the boiling water to cook.

Take a serving bowl, add an appropriate amount of mixed sesame sauce, cooked base sauce, then add 15ml balsamic vinegar and 5ml dark soy sauce. Finally, ladle a spoonful of noodle boiling water into the bowl and mix well with a spoon.

Transfer the cooked Shanghai noodles directly into the bowl with the prepared sauce, mix well with chopsticks, then top with the cooked meat sauce, and finally sprinkle with 10g crushed peanuts and green scallions.