Dan-Dan noodles alla Nonya

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 2 Pepper, red, long, mild to medium hot
• n. B. flowers and leaves
• 3 leaves of pak choi
• 1 small spring onion(s)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 10 g ginger, fresh or frozen
• 1 tsp mushroom powder (mushroom bouillon, granules)
• 1 tsp, levelled sugar
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar, milder
• 1 tsp, levelled black pepper, freshly ground
• 30 g bacon, streaky, smoked, in small cubes
• 250 g water
• 8 g mushroom powder (mushroom bouillon, granules)
• 60 g Chinese egg noodles
• 2 tbsp pasta water
• 2 tbsp sesame oil, dark fragrant

Instructions

Working time approx. 18 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 minutes; Total time approx. 20 minutes

A spicy main course or snack that is filling even without side dishes.

Wash the two bell peppers. Quarter one lengthwise, about 1.5 cm below the stem. Remove the seeds and diaphragms, and halve each quarter lengthwise. Keep in water until ready to use. Remove the stem from the second bell pepper, halve lengthwise, remove the seeds, cut lengthwise into strips, and dice crosswise. Finely chop the washed bok choy. Slice the spring onion diagonally into thin rings, then finely chop. Press the peeled garlic cloves. Thinly slice the washed and peeled ginger crosswise and finely chop. Place the mushroom bouillon granules, sugar, white wine vinegar, pepper, and optionally diced bacon in a medium bowl. Bring the water to a boil. Dissolve the mushroom bouillon granules in it and add the egg noodles. Cook over moderate heat for 2 minutes until al dente. Strain, drain well, and add to the spices along with the vegetables, 2 tablespoons of the noodle cooking water, and the sesame oil. Mix everything well. Transfer the finished dan dan noodles to a serving plate, garnish with hot pepper blossoms and diced hot peppers, and with blossoms and leaves if desired. Serve and enjoy. Note: Nonya cuisine is a street food style originally from China, India, Thailand, or Malaysia that has been adapted to local conditions. In the past, it was mainly Hakka Chinese who settled throughout the Pacific region and adapted their cooking skills. For foreigners, it’s hard to imagine that entire streets are closed at night because hundreds of mobile food stalls offer their specialties. Nowadays, you’ll encounter people from almost all over the world. For example, you can also eat doner kebabs on lomok, without the need for a rotisserie… simply Nonya street food, conjured up by local chefs….