Sunday Dan Dan Noodles

Method

1. Start by prepping your dried pasta, olive oil, garlic so the cooking goes quickly.
2. Warm a splash of olive oil in a heavy pan over medium heat, then add the shallots and cook until soft and fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Turn the heat up, add the dan dan, and cook until deeply browned and aromatic.
4. Stir in the cucumber along with a good pinch of salt, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom of the pan.
5. Pour in the coconut milk, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook until thickened and glossy.
6. Off the heat, brighten it up with a drizzle of olive oil and a final crack of pepper.
7. Serve warm, ideally with something to soak up the sauce.