Description
Tantanmen Ramen is a rich and flavorful Japanese noodle soup inspired by the spicy Chinese Sichuan Dan Dan noodles, featuring a creamy sesame and miso broth, tender ground pork, and perfectly cooked ramen noodles. Topped with green onions, boiled egg, and toasted sesame seeds, this comforting dish offers a perfect balance of spicy, savory, and nutty flavors for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth and Sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon miso paste
Noodles
- 200 grams ramen noodles
Toppings and Garnish
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 100 grams ground pork
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1 boiled egg, halved
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the sesame sauce: In a small bowl, combine the sesame paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil, sugar, and ground Sichuan peppercorns. Stir until smooth and the sugar is fully dissolved to create a flavorful base for the broth.
- Simmer the broth: In a separate pot, bring the chicken broth and water to a simmer over medium heat. Add the miso paste and stir until completely dissolved, creating a savory and umami-rich broth.
- Combine broth and sauce: Add the prepared sesame sauce mixture to the simmering broth and let it cook together for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and deepen.
- Cook the ramen noodles: While the broth simmers, cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions, typically boiling them for 3 to 4 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and ginger, sautéing for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
- Cook the ground pork: Add ground pork to the pan, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until browned and fully cooked, stirring occasionally.
- Add green onions: Stir the chopped green onions into the cooked pork and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes to combine the flavors.
- Assemble the ramen: Divide the cooked noodles into two bowls evenly.
- Add broth: Pour the hot sesame-miso broth over the noodles, making sure they are fully submerged.
- Add topping: Spoon the cooked pork and green onion mixture over the noodles in each bowl.
- Add boiled egg: Place a halved boiled egg on top of each bowl to enrich the dish with creamy yolk.
- Garnish: Sprinkle sesame seeds over the ramen as a finishing touch for added texture and flavor.
- Serve: Serve the Tantanmen ramen immediately while hot, enjoying its creamy, spicy, and savory notes.
Notes
- You can adjust the chili oil quantity to control the spiciness of the ramen.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute ground pork with crumbled tofu and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Ensure the miso paste is fully dissolved to avoid clumps in the broth.
- Boil the egg to your preferred doneness; soft-boiled eggs are traditional for ramen.
- Use fresh ramen noodles if available for best texture, otherwise dried or instant noodles work fine.
