History
Danzai noodles are said to date from about 1895 in Tainan, where the fisherman Hong Yutou sold noodles from shoulder poles to earn money in the off-season, when typhoons made fishing too dangerous. He later set up a stall in front of the Chuisian Temple under lanterns reading slack season danzai noodles.
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Common allergens: Gluten, Crustacean, Soy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 300g whole prawns
- 1.5 litres water
- 200g pork belly, minced
- 30ml dark soy sauce
- 30ml Shaoxing rice wine
- 20g rock sugar
- 1 star anise
- 3 shallots, sliced
- 200g fresh thin yellow wheat noodles
- Coriander leaves, to serve
- 8 small cooked shrimp, peeled, to top
- 60ml black rice vinegar (optional, on the side)
Method
- Peel the prawns, reserving shells. Save the shrimp meat for topping (cook in boiling water for 30 seconds).
- Fry the prawn shells in a dry pot 3 minutes until red. Add 1.5 litres water, simmer 30 minutes. Strain, discard shells.
- Fry shallots in 30ml oil until golden. Add minced pork, brown 5 minutes.
- Add Shaoxing, soy sauce, sugar and star anise. Simmer 20 minutes until glossy.
- Cook noodles per pack (about 90 seconds); divide between 4 small bowls.
- Ladle hot shrimp broth over noodles. Top each bowl with a spoonful of pork mince, 2 cooked shrimp and coriander leaves.
Tip from the editors. The bowls are meant to be small; danzai is a snack, not a main. Two bowls per person is the Tainan norm. Add a dash of black vinegar to taste.
Where to eat danzai noodle
Danzai noodle in Taipei
Featured by TableJourney as a signature dish of Taipei. See where to eat Danzai noodle in Taipei or the Taipei signature dishes guide.
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