This dan dan noodle salad will make you want to linger at the table

Last summer, new neighbors moved in next door. One afternoon, we saw each other on our respective stoops. I waved hello.

“Hello!” the young couple replied cheerfully. Their British accents prompted me to ask where they’d moved from. London, and just three months prior. After introductions, I invited them to come over for a meal.

One morning a few weeks later, with Hannah and Julian set to arrive that evening, I wasn’t sure what I was going to cook. I knew only that they were vegetarian and enjoyed spicy food. Coincidentally, I’d just received a preview copy of “Linger,” Hetty Lui McKinnon’s newest cookbook. It’s full of party inspiration and stories. It’s also loaded with recipes for salads and sweets designed for easy gatherings, ones where guests and hosts are encouraged to come together, feast, then stay at the table.

As I read McKinnon’s prose, I was reminded of the Spanish word for this beautiful moment: sobremesa. It’s when you’ve finished eating and your belly is full, but you’re not yet ready to leave your chair because you’re engrossed in conversation — or just relishing the tender feeling of being with kindred spirits.

I decided to make McKinnon’s kung pao cabbage with tofu and Dan Dan Noodle Salad, plus her spiced pumpkin mochi cake for dessert. As is generally the case when I have guests over during the week, I was working right up until the moment it was time to pick up the ingredients. After a quick shop, I had only 45 minutes to make everything, yet I wasn’t worried. I knew McKinnon had my back. Her recipes came together exactly as written. I left “Linger” on the coffee table so I could tell the neighbors about it and McKinnon.

Moments after our guests arrived, the conversation turned to cooking. The neighbors love to experiment in the kitchen, they said, but when it comes to following recipes, they have one main cookbook they turn to over and over, and recommend to friends again and again. “Maybe you’ve heard of it?” Julian asked. “It’s by the author Hetty Lui McKinnon and called ‘To Asia, With Love.’”

I laughed as I pulled “Linger” off the coffee table. “I love Hetty!” I gushed. We delighted in our shared fandom, then we sat together and feasted, learning about each other’s occupations and interests, backgrounds and predispositions. The conversation turned to travel, and I was reminded of something McKinnon wrote in the book about why she makes time to travel and eat the foods of other cultures: “Seeing how others live and eat builds bridges.”

We moved on to comparing recipe notes, with Hannah noticing that the Dan Dan Noodle Salad was similar to a tantanmen ramen recipe in “To Asia, With Love.” In “Linger,” McKinnon calls the salad a “sister” recipe to that vegan ramen.

“Turns out, dan dan noodles work well as a salad, the signature punchy sauce made with sesame paste and [chili] oil transformed into an assertive dressing,” McKinnon wrote. “Curly and chewy ramen noodles cling perfectly to the saucy dressing, but you could really use any noodle you like, including instant noodles, udon or thick rice noodles.” The original recipe calls for corn kernels, but McKinnon noted that it would be easy to substitute another vegetable, if corn isn’t in season or to your liking.

That’s the beauty of a McKinnon recipe: The adaptations are built in. I made the recipe with corn when I cooked it for Julian and Hannah, but then I tested it with sautéed mushrooms (great), green beans (so easy) and broccoli (my favorite). I’ve called for broccoli in this adaptation. Instead of bok choy, I’ve used napa cabbage to great effect. And in place of sesame paste, I’ve tried (and loved) it with peanut butter. To bulk it up, I have added slices of baked tofu and steamed and shelled edamame, but I’m sure cooked ground pork would also be good here.

While we nibbled on the squishy pieces of spiced pumpkin mochi cake for dessert, I thought of another thing McKinnon wrote: “Salads are stories: For me, the process of making a salad starts with a vegetable. From there, I decide where I want to travel with that vegetable. Will I dig deep into my childhood, be inspired by a memory or turn to my travels? … Every element of a salad is like a character that plays a part in the overall story.”

Salads are stories, but so are all recipes. Stories are what give our life meaning. Tonight I recommend the story of this Dan Dan Noodle Salad. It’s a reason to press pause on whatever responsibilities are tugging at your consciousness, and to linger just a bit longer at the table.

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Dan Dan Noodle Salad

For the salad:

10 ounces baby bok choy

Fine salt

10 ounces fresh or frozen ramen noodles

10 ounces fresh broccoli, chopped into bite-size pieces

2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds, for serving

2 scallions, thinly sliced, for serving

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste or tahini

2 tablespoons chili oil or chili crisp, plus more for serving

1 tablespoon soy sauce, preferably reduced-sodium

2 teaspoons Chinkiang vinegar (Chinese black vinegar; see Substitutions)

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 garlic clove, finely grated or pressed

2 to 3 tablespoons nondairy milk, such as soy or oat, or water

Make the noodles and vegetables: Separate the white and green parts of the baby bok choy by cutting or breaking the leaves. Slice the white parts into thick pieces, then transfer to a colander and rinse well to remove any dirt. Drain.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ramen and broccoli, and cook until the noodles are al dente according to the package directions, 3 to 5 minutes. About 2 minutes before the noodles are ready, add the white parts of the bok choy. Just before everything is ready, throw in the green bok choy leaves and blanch until they wilt, about 20 seconds. Remove from the heat and drain immediately. Refresh under cold running water, then drain again and let cool.

Make the dressing: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the sesame paste, chili oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and garlic until a chunky paste forms. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk and whisk, adding 1 tablespoon more, if needed, until the dressing is smooth and the consistency of cream.

Assemble the dish: Transfer the noodle mixture to a large, shallow bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Top with the sesame seeds, scallions and a few drops of chili oil. Taste, and season with salt, if needed. Serve barely warm or at room temperature.

4 servings

* Notes: Chinese sesame paste and Chinkiang vinegar can be found at Asian markets and online. Fresh or frozen ramen noodles can be found at Asian markets, well-stocked supermarkets and online.

Substitutions: For baby bok choy, use regular bok choy or other type of cabbage. For fresh or frozen ramen noodles, use dried instant ramen, or rice or egg noodles, prepared according to the package instructions. For broccoli, use fresh or frozen corn kernels or peas, or diced squash, with an adjustment to the cooking time as needed. To make this gluten-free, use rice noodles in place of ramen noodles, and gluten-free tamari or liquid aminos instead of soy sauce. For sesame paste, use peanut butter or unsweetened sunflower seed butter. For Chinkiang vinegar, use unseasoned rice vinegar. Like heat? Use more chili oil. If you don’t, skip it.

Nutritional information per serving (2 cups) | 437 Calories: 68g Carbohydrates, 0mg Cholesterol, 13g Fat, 4g Fiber, 13g Protein, 2g Saturated Fat, 908 mg Sodium, 5g Sugar

— Adapted from “Linger” by Hetty Lui McKinnon (Knopf, 2025).