Shortcut dan dan noodles (Dàndàn miàn, jiǎnyì bǎn) from The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family (page 97) by Bill Leung and Kaitlin Leung and Judy Leung and Sarah Leung

  • five-spice powder
    This classic Chinese five spice mix unites the five flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savory. Based on the traditional philosophy of balancing yin and yang, Chinese five spice complements fatty meats like pork belly, goose, and duck. (The Spice House) Buy Now
  • Sichuan peppercorns
    Dried berries of Xanthoxylum species plants. Although there is a Xanthoxylum fagara, it is native to Florida and Caribbean, and not used in Chinese cuisine. Buy Now
  • Show all ingredients...

  • EYB Comments

    Can substitute ground chicken for ground pork. You may use the Ultimate chili oil recipe on p. 275.

Where’s the full recipe - why can I only see the ingredients?

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

  • Eat Your Books

    Can substitute ground chicken for ground pork. You may use the Ultimate chili oil recipe on p. 275.

  • katrina_jhypqm on April 25, 2026

    quick easy and delicious. I like to use ground turkey for a healthier take & top with fresh cucumbers for crunch. I’ll sub sesame paste for peanut butter in a pinch and it’s just as good

  • meginyeg on November 19, 2025

    This was good. Uses the chili oil from the book. Used tahini instead of Chinese sesame paste and skipped the preserved mustard due to not locating it. Still delicious and relatively easy.

  • EmilyR on November 13, 2022

    We made this for friends - toddlers to adults using ground poultry as there was an alpha-gal beef allergy among us. Everyone was a fan. People were asking if we had left overs and mentioning it the next day.

You must Create an Account or Sign In to add a note to this book.

Reviews about this recipe

This recipe does not currently have any reviews.

You are reporting a broken online recipe link to EYB. Please confirm that you want the report submitted. Please also suggest the correct URL for this online recipe to the below textbox.