Dan Dan Noodle Salad

Dan Dan Noodle Salad - Hetty Lui McKinnon

Turns out, dan dan noodles work well as a salad, in this recipe adapted from my cookbook “Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor” (Knopf, 2025), as the signature punchy sauce made with sesame paste and chile oil transforms nicely into an assertive dressing. Curly and chewy ramen noodles cling perfectly to the sauce, but you could really use any noodle you like, including instant noodles, udon or thick rice noodles. Adapt this salad throughout the year by adding seasonal vegetables such as mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, snow peas, spinach or green beans.

Yield: 4 servings

For the Salad

Sea salt

10 ounces baby bok choy (about 4)

10 ounces fresh or frozen ramen noodles

2 cups/10 ounces fresh or canned corn kernels (or thawed from frozen)

2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds

2 scallions, thinly sliced

For the Dan Dan Dressing

2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste or tahini

2 tablespoons chile oil or chile crisp, plus more for serving

1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari

2 teaspoons black or rice vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 garlic clove, grated

2 to 3 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk (such as soy or oat) or water

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Separate the white and green parts of the baby bok choy. Slice the white parts into thick pieces. Place in a colander and rinse well to remove any dirt or sediments. Drain.

Add the ramen to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to packet directions. About 1½ minutes before the noodles are ready, add the white parts of the baby bok choy and the corn. Just before everything is ready, throw in the green bok choy leaves and blanch until they are wilted, about 20 seconds. Drain immediately and refresh under cold running water, then leave to drain again. Let cool while you make the dressing.

Make the dan dan dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame paste, chile oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and garlic until a chunky paste forms. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk and whisk, adding another tablespoon if needed, until the dressing is smooth and pourable. The dressing should be the consistency of cream. (The dressing can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and stored in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge. It will thicken up, so add a splash or two of milk or water to loosen it up before adding to the noodles.)

In a large shallow bowl, place the ramen noodles, greens and corn. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Top with the sesame seeds, scallions and a few drops of chile oil. Taste and season with salt if needed. Serve at room temperature.

TIP: This was a great dish. The sauce is the star and we 1.5x it because I always like extra sauce. We also used water b/c we don’t have fake milk. Added tofu for protein. Will definitely have this recipe on our rotation!

This was as good as it read. I used mushrooms rather than corn, and water (have no fake milk) to thin the dressing - which to me, really made this work.

I didn't miss the pork at all, and for me, that's saying something. It was easy to scale down for one w/lunch the next day.

One-Pot Shrimp and Tomato Pulao

One-Pot Shrimp and Tomato Pulao

This shrimp pulao is a beloved staple in the kitchens of Mumbai’s Parsi community, descendants of Zoroastrians who settled in India after fleeing religious persecution in Iran. Rooted in the rich traditions of South Asian cooking, the dish features familiar elements like cumin, red chile powder and fragrant basmati rice. What truly sets this pulao apart is its unmistakable tang from a bold, savory mix of tomatoes, vinegar, lemon slices and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. That signature sourness balances the gentle sweetness of plump shrimp and caramelized onions, creating a deeply satisfying one-pot meal. Ready in under an hour and easily scalable, it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or feeding a crowd with minimal fuss. Serve with a cooling raita, alongside dhanshak or all by itself. 

Yield: 4 servings

1 cup basmati rice 

1 pound peeled, deveined large shrimp 

1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chile powder (or other mild red chile powder)

¾ teaspoon ground turmeric 

¼ cup ghee or neutral cooking oil (such as vegetable or canola)

4 whole peppercorns

3 whole cloves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds 

1 medium yellow, white or red onion, thinly sliced 

1½ tablespoons garlic paste or freshly grated garlic  

2 to 3 Thai green chiles, chopped

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1½ cups chicken stock or water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus 3 lemon slices (from 1 lemon) 

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, for serving

In a bowl, cover the rice with water and set aside to soak. In a bowl, combine the shrimp, chile powder and turmeric, tossing to coat the shrimp.

In a Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat ghee on medium until melted, about 30 seconds. Stir in the peppercorns, cloves and cumin seeds. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to turn golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Stir in the green chiles and cumin. Add the tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 ½ teaspoons pepper, and stir some more. Continue cooking until the tomatoes start to become jammy and the oil separates from the tomato mixture, 5 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the seasoned shrimp, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, and continue cooking for a few minutes, until the shrimp start to turn pink.

Drain the rice, add it to the pot and stir to coat. Stir in the stock, lemon juice and lemon slices. Turn the heat up to high. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let the pulao rest, still covered, for 10 minutes.

Uncover and fluff the pulao with a serving spoon. Adjust seasoning to taste, and top with cilantro before serving.

TIP: Easy, wonderful one-pot dish that works perfectly for the weekdays. Do remember to put the lemon slices in as they soak up all the spices. Getting mouthfuls of soft lemon and jammy tomatoes is the experience to have here. I might even suggest adding more tomatoes and lemon slices the next time I make this. It's a keeper!

Wow, was this good! I thought it was perfect the way it was, but I did like another commenter’s suggestion to use more tomatoes and lemon slices and I plan on making a version using those suggestions soon.

I live on Cape Fear where we have access to fresh-caught shrimp for much of the year. The cooking method here did not cause the shrimp to become tough or otherwise less appealing. In fact I thought they were pretty perfect. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this recipe to anyone

Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Pasta

Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Pasta

The combination of pasta, garlic and olive oil has long been one of the best ways to feed many mouths with ease. Here, that garlicky pasta is joined by browned chunks of chicken, tender and bitter broccoli rabe and spicy cherry peppers. Browning boneless, skinless chicken breast takes little effort if done right — the key is to not overcrowd the pan. The chicken cooks through quickly, so sautéing it in batches adds minimal time and maximum flavor to this recipe. Feel free to use broccolini instead of broccoli rabe, sweet cherry peppers instead of spicy or even another short pasta instead of cavatelli — just don’t skip the freshly grated Parmesan on top. 

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Salt and pepper

1 large bunch broccoli rabe (about 1¼ pounds), tough stems removed, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pound cavatelli or other short pasta

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more if desired

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped jarred hot cherry peppers

Grated Parmesan, for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli rabe to the boiling water, cooking until the broccoli rabe is a vibrant green color, 60 to 90 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli rabe to a bowl, then rinse with cold water and strain. Set aside. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, then drain. 

Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and then cut  into 1-inch cubes and  salt generously. Place a large pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is shimmering add half of the chicken. Cook the chicken for 3 minutes, then flip over to cook for 3 minutes more, until chicken is browned on both sides. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Add another tablespoon of oil and cook the remaining chicken using the same method, then combine all of the chicken in the pan.  

Add the remaining ¼ cup olive oil to the pan along with the garlic and cherry peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is  golden, about 1 minute. Add the broccoli rabe and cooked pasta and stir to combine.  Add more olive oil, as needed, to coat the pasta. Season to taste. Serve warm, topped with freshly grated Parmesan.

TIP: I made this exactly as written, but felt it needed more acid, so I added the juice of one lemon at the very end. We loved it, and it was a breeze to make! Next time, I will keep the lemon and probably double the amount of chopped hot cherry peppers.

 I used your suggestion and added the broccoli rabe for the final two minutes of the pasta cooking time.