The first time I ever had dan dan mian was years ago in New York's East Village. It was one of those insanely hot and muggy July days, and my friend S and I were walking on St. Mark's Street, sweaty even in tank tops and skirts.

"Where do you want to have lunch?," I asked.

"Anywhere with AC," was the reply.

We ducked into the St. Mark's branch of Grand Sichuan and sure enough, there was a generous amount of AC, along with a particularly surly waitress. We ordered quickly just to get her to go away.

We ate about 4 or 5 dishes, but I don't remember any except the dan dan noodles and cold cucumber salad. I remember the dan dan noodles because they were some of the spiciest things I had ever tasted, at that point. I remember the cucumbers because, despite also being spicy, they tamed the heat in my mouth from the dan dan noodles.

I gulped about 4 or 5 glasses of water during the meal. The food was actually pretty good, but I, being a newbie to Sichuan food, couldn't fully appreciate the complexity of the Sichuan peppercorn. Years later, having had many 4-alarm Sichuan meals, I actually miss and crave the mala sensation (numbing spiciness) if I don't eat Sichuan for a week or more.

You can find dan dan mian at almost all Sichuan restaurants. Some people have it as an appetizer, others have it during the meal instead of rice. (I, for one, always get rice if I'm also ordering dishes bathed in a spicy sauce, like mapo tofu or mouth-watering chicken. Some friends of mine don't mind piling heat on top of heat, those brave fools.)

Dan dan noodles are also easy to make at home. Even the American home, now that the Sichuan peppercorn ban is lifted. Of course, this dish can always be toned down by adding less Sichuan pepper, but trust me...mala heat is addictive. Just make sure to have some water by your side.

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Related Recipes:
Sichuan Cucumber Salad
Peanut Sesame Noodles

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Dan Dan Mian - Spicy Sichuan Noodles

Adapted from Ken Hom, A Taste of China

Serves 4 to 6 as part of a multi-course meal, or 2 to 4 as a single dish

8 oz (225 g) pork, minced
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
6 oz peanut oil
3 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons chilli oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorn, ground
2 teaspoons salt
8 ounces chicken stock
12 ounces dry thin) Chinese egg noodles
1 handful roasted peanuts, finedly chopped

Combine pork, soy sauce, and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Heat a wok or large skillet until hot. Add 4 ounces of the oil and stir-fry the pork, stirring with a spatula to break it into small pieces. When the pork is lightly browned, about 3 minutes, remove and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. (This will be for the noodles.) While the water is heating, go to the next step.

Reheat the wok (add the remaining 2 ounces of oil if needed) and stir-fry the garlic, ginger, and onions until aromatic, about 1 minute. Then add the peanut butter, soy sauce, chilli oil, sesame oil, Sichuan pepper, salt, and chicken stock and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, when the pot of water has come to boil, toss in noodles and cook for 2 minutes if they're fresh or 5 minutes if they're dry. Drain the noodles well. Divide into individual bowls or put them all into a large bowl for sharing. Ladle the sauce on top, top with pork and chopped peanuts, and serve while hot.