Spicy Dan Dan Noodles with Ground Pork

Ingredients

For the noodles:
2 teaspoons cooking oil
¾ pound ground pork
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce
¾ teaspoon five-spice powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
16 ounces udon noodles dried , cooked according to the package directions (can sub dried ramen noodles — not instant)
2 cups spinach fresh, or other leafy greens
4 pieces green onions thinly sliced

For the sauce:
2/3 cup chili oil
6 tablespoons sesame paste Chinese or Japanese
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoons ginger fresh, grated
1 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
3/4 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns ground
1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
1 teaspoon coriander ground

Directions

In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the ground pork and cook, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until the meat is well browned. Add the hoisin sauce, wine, soy sauce, five-spice powder, and salt. Stir to mix well and then remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions. In the last minute of cooking, add the bok choy. When the cooking is complete, remove the bok choy. Save 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the noodles and rinse under warm water.

In a small bowl, make the sauce. Mix together the chili oil, sesame paste, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, ground Szechuan peppercorns, black pepper, and coriander. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of the reserved noodle cooking water.

Divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Add one piece of bok choy to each bowl. Spoon the sauce over the noodles and top with the pork. Garnish with the green onions and serve.