Spicy Tan Tan Ramen

Authentic Japanese ramen noodle soup, Tan Tan Ramen, is known for its spicy flavor and incredible flavor. A traditional Chinese dish also inspires it.

Dan Dan Mian, or Dan Dan Noodles, is a spicy Sichuan dish consisting of noodles, stir-fried ground pork, and blanched greens; they are the inspiration for the Japanese dish known as “tantanmen.”

What is Tan Tan Ramen?

Typical Japanese cuisine, Tan Tan Ramen is a noodle soup made with a special blend of noodles. Tan Tan Ramen differs from traditional pork or chicken ramen by using a sesame paste instead of salt (shio ramen), soy sauce (shoyu ramen), or miso-based broth.

The sauce base, or “tare” (tah-reh), is combined with stock and unsweetened soy milk to make a velvety soup.

Greens and a spicy ground pork mixture are stir-fried in doubanjiang (also written as “toban djan”), a Sichuan spicy bean sauce.

Dan Dan Noodles VS. Tan Tan Ramen

Spicy and made with toasted sesame paste, ground pork, blanched greens, and noodles, Tan Tan Ramen is very similar to the authentic Chinese version of Dan Dan Noodles.

The main distinction is that Dan Dan Noodles do not feature a soup broth but rather a sauce.

The benefit of preparing either of these meals at home is that you can adjust the heat level to your preference.

Which Ramen Noodles Should I Use?

Even though the broth makes or breaks a bowl of ramen, the noodles are just as crucial.

This piece highlights the superb quality of Myojo U.S.A.’s medium-thick, wavy noodles. They were perfectly chewy and didn’t get soggy in the soup like other noodles.

The company, whose name was derived from the Japanese word for “instant noodles,” Myojo, was established in 1950. Then, in 1991, Myojo USA was established in Chino, California.

The company excels at producing fresh ramen, udon, and yakisoba noodles, which it sells wholesale to ramen shops. We also make fresh ramen, udon, and yakisoba noodle kits complete with soup bases and sauces.

We’ve been enjoying trying out new recipes with the wholesale products they sent us, like this one for tan tan ramen.

I went with the medium-thick, wavy noodles because they’re delicious and sturdy enough to handle the rich soup.

Be sure to use premium fresh ramen noodles, such as those made by Myojo, when preparing this dish.

Even though we were using their wavy noodles wholesale, the Myojo Premium Seafood Tonkotsu Ramen is the closest thing to it that can be found in stores. You can get in touch with them through their website Wavy Hiramen page, if you’re interested in purchasing this noodle in bulk.

Ingredients:

For the Pork & Marinade:

• 8 oz. of ground pork (can substitute any other ground meat)
• 1 tbsp. of mirin
• 1 tbsp. of ginger (minced)
• 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil (or any other neutral oil)
• 1 tbsp. of spicy bean sauce (Sichuan doubanjiang)
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)

For the Soup Base:

• 2 tbsp. of soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. of sesame paste (can substitute peanut butter)
• 1 tsp. of rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. of sugar
• 1 tbsp. of Chili Oil (preferably homemade)
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 2 cups of unsweetened oat milk or soy milk

For the Noodles & Toppings:

• 2 portions of leafy greens (such as spinach, baby bok choy, or yu choy, trimmed and washed)
• 2 portions of fresh ramen noodles (such as Myojo medium-thick wavy ramen noodles)
• 2 scallions (chopped)

Instructions:

1. Mix the mirin and the minced ginger into the ground pork. Reserve for 15 minutes to marinate.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the tare for the soup base in a medium bowl. Combine the chili oil, sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame paste in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Put it aside.
3. Place the oat milk and chicken stock in a pot and heat until the stock simmer. For the sake of your warmth, please cover up. (Keep the heat on low; the mixture should never boil. The milk could split and curdle if heated to a boiling temperature. Prepare the noodles and greens by bringing a large pot of water to a boil.
4. Prepare a smoking wok by heating it over medium-high heat. One tablespoon of oil and the pork should be added. Crisp up the pork in a pan until it resembles ground meat. Cook for an additional minute after adding the spicy bean sauce and minced garlic. Stop cooking and set aside.
5. Green vegetables should be blanched for 30 seconds to 1 minute in water and brought to a boil in a large pot. Take out of the water, drain it, and set it aside. Then, return the water to a boil and add the noodles, cooking them for the specified amount of time until they are tender but still chewy, as directed on the package.
6. Next, pour the stock and milk mixture into the bowls and bring to a simmer. Blend ingredients by stirring. To serve, divide the cooked noodles between two bowls and top with the pork, blanched vegetables, and chopped scallions. If desired, you can adjust the heat level by adding more chili oil.