Easy and delicious, try these vegetarian Dan Dan noodles this weekend for the ultimate in quick comfort food.

Recipes & Styling Natalie Homan | Photographs Brendan Homan

Vegetarian Dan Dan noodles
serves 4

500g Swiss brown mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 thumb-sized ginger piece, finely chopped
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 bunch choy sum, cut into 5cm lengths

for noodles
400g strong bread flour
200ml water
½ tsp salt

for sauce
1 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp crispy chilli oil
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp Sichuan pepper
½ tsp five spice powder
½ cup water

for garnish
4 tbsp finely shredded ginger
2 spring onion, finely sliced
4 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts

Mix flour, salt and water for noodles in a medium bowl; the mix will appear dry but do not be tempted to add more water. Transfer dough to kitchen bench and knead for 10 minutes until smooth. Wrap in clingfilm and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Flour bench and portion dough into 4 pieces. Roll out dough with a rolling pin into a rectangular piece roughly 30cmx20cm and 2mm thick. Dust liberally with flour and fold into thirds with the shorter side closest to you. Cut dough into noodles 5mm thick. Shake out noodles, dust with flour and twist into a nest. Repeat with remaining 3 pieces of dough. Heat a frypan over medium-to-high heat, add oil and mushrooms and saute until mushrooms release their moisture and then become dry. Add garlic and ginger and saute for a further minute. Add hoisin sauce and stir through. Add noodles to boiling water, adding choy sum after a minute. Cook for
2 minutes, then strain.

To serve, divide sauce between 4 bowls, add noodles and choy sum then top with mushroom mix. Garnish with ginger, spring onion and peanuts. Mix contents of bowl well before diving in!

This article first appeared in the April 2023 issue of SALIFE magazine.