Dan Dan Noodles

Dan Dan Noodles

Dan dan noodles are a Sichuan firestorm: chilli oil and numbing Sichuan pepper over a nutty sesame-and-pork sauce, so heat and richness together set the terms. Alcohol amplifies chilli, so the wine must be low in alcohol with acidity and bubbles or sweetness to soothe the burn and cut the sesame. Avoid high-alcohol and tannic reds.

Pairs Perfectly

A Cava, Penedès, Spain. Its carbonation scatters the heat and the lean acidity slices through the rich sesame paste, and it costs little.

Pairs Well

An off-dry Riesling, Mosel Kabinett, Germany. Low in alcohol with a cooling touch of sweetness, it calms the chilli and freshens the dish.

A Gewürztraminer from Alsace, off-dry, France. Aromatic and gently sweet, it cushions the numbing spice.

Avoid

High-alcohol and tannic reds, which set the chilli ablaze.

Failing That

A Prosecco, Italy.

If All Else Fails

Pinot Grigio, Italy.

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