Thai-Style Tan Tan Mian

• porce: 4 servings

Ingredience

1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms (about 10 medium)

1 ½ cups boiling water, to soak the mushrooms

1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2/3 cup chunky peanut butter (see headnote)

1/4 cup soy sauce, plus more if needed

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil

1 pound ground pork

6 medium garlic cloves, minced

½ - ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 - 3 heads (about 8 ounces) baby bok choy, trimmed with bases intact, quartered lengthwise

10 ounces dried udon or lo mein noodles

Chili oil or chili crisp, to serve

Pokyny

In a medium bowl, combine the shiitake mushrooms and enough boiling water to cover. Place a plate on top to submerge the mushrooms; let soak until softened, 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a 4-quart or larger saucepan over medium, toast the Sichuan peppercorns, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. In the same pan over medium, toast the sesame seeds until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes; transfer to another small bowl and set aside. Reserve the saucepan. Using a spice grinder or mortar with a pestle, finely grind the Sichuan peppercorns; set aside.

Lift the softened mushrooms from the soaking water. Pour the soaking water through a fine-mesh strainer set over a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Rinse the bowl used to soak the mushrooms, then in it, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, ½ teaspoon black pepper and 1 cup strained mushroom liquid. Trim off and discard the stems from the mushrooms, then cut the caps into ¼- to ½-inch cubes; set aside.

In the reserved saucepan over medium-high, heat the oil until barely smoking. Add the pork and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper; cook, stirring and breaking the pork into small bits, until either the meat is browned and crisped or browned bits have formed on the pan, about 9 minutes.

Add the garlic, pepper flakes and 1 to 1½ teaspoons ground Sichuan pepper; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the broth, peanut butter mixture, mushrooms, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, uncovered and stirring, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the bok choy and cook until bright green and tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to a plate, allowing excess water to drain back into the pot. To the boiling water, add the noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Drain in a colander, shaking to remove as much water as possible. Divide the noodles among 4 serving bowls.

When the soup is done, taste and season with soy sauce and/or salt; it should be assertively salty to compensate for the mildness of the noodles. Ladle it into the bowls. Divide the bok choy among the bowls, then garnish with the toasted sesame seeds and additional ground Sichuan pepper, if desired. Serve with chili oil or chili crisp for drizzling.