When my kids were very small, we lived in Westchester County, New York. My husband and I used to go on date night to a Chinese restaurant in Yonkers called Hunan Village. It was owned by a regal Chinese man named Paul. He was the most impressive host. He liked to order for our table, and it was thanks to him that I first tried dan dan noodles. I’ve eaten them many times at restaurants since, and none compares to the ones at Hunan Village. They had the best darn dan dan noodles I’ve ever tasted. Funny thing about that restaurant was my husband had been going to it ever since he was a kid, and Paul was the owner, all the way back then. I’ve heard Paul left Hunan Village a few years ago, and that sadly their food has declined. In honor of Paul, I devised this scrumptious, addictive, allergy-friendly dan dan noodle recipe, because the traditional is chock-full of allergens (wheat, soy, peanuts). I hope my version does justice to Paul. For the linguine, I like corn-quinoa noodles that mimic the yellow hue of the traditional egg noodles.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces gluten-free linguine
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons finely minced or grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons coconut amino acids
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha or Thai Chile Sauce
- 0.33 cup smooth SunButter
- ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds, plus more for garnish
- ½ English cucumber, peeled, quartered, and diced, for garnish
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.
- In a large bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, coconut amino acids, oil, sugar, vinegar, and chile sauce. Mix well. Add the SunButter, chicken broth, and salt, and stir until smooth.
- Drain the pasta and combine with the sauce, tossing to coat. Mix in the green onions, cilantro, and ¼ cup sunflower seeds.
- Serve garnished with the diced cucumber and a sprinkling of sunflower seeds.