Favorites: Peter Chang’s spicy dan dan noodles

The menu at Peter Chang’s China Café says “Spicy Dan Dan Noodles” ($6), but they look innocent enough: a garnish of scallions and peanuts over ground pork and rice noodles. There’s no sign of the punishingly delicious Sichuan chillies visible as in many other dishes from this kitchen. One bite, however, reveals that the reddish oil in the bowl has been infused with fiery heat from the spicy fruit; a heat that mingles well with the tangy and salty flavors of the dish. There’s no shame in asking for a side of white rice to cool things down.

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