Tsuyunashi Tantanmen

Method10 steps · about 13 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Gently mix all 150 grams ground pork with the separate 2 teaspoons marinade soy sauce and 1 tablespoon mirin; add the optional ¼ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper if using. Use chopsticks to combine without mashing the meat into a paste. Let it rest while you prepare the sauce and aromatics; keep refrigerated if preparation is delayed.

   Uses 150 grams ground pork · 2 teaspoons soy sauce for pork marinade · 1 tablespoon mirin · 1/4 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper (optional)

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Grind all 2 grams katsuobushi and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds to a powder with a mortar and pestle or clean spice grinder.

   Uses 2 grams katsuobushi · 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Put all the ground katsuobushi and sesame mixture in a bowl with 1 tablespoon Japanese sesame paste, the distinct 1½ tablespoons sauce soy sauce, 2 teaspoons evaporated cane sugar, 2 teaspoons rayu and 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil. Whisk until smooth, then whisk in all the freshly boiled ¼ cup sauce water to make a uniform sauce.

   Uses Ground katsuobushi and toasted sesame powder · 1 tablespoon Japanese sesame paste (tahini will also work) · 1½ tablespoons soy sauce for sesame sauce · 2 teaspoons evaporated cane sugar · 2 teaspoons rayu · 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil · ¼ cup water, freshly boiled, for sesame sauce

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Start heating a separate large pot of noodle water to a boil. During the pork cooking in steps 5–8, add all 260 grams fresh ramen noodles at the point when their package or chosen noodle recipe’s cooking time will finish alongside the pork. Cook until tender. The author’s noodles took 3 minutes, but use the directions for your actual noodles. Leave draining and saucing to step 9; do not rinse.

   Uses Separate water for boiling ramen noodles; drained · 260 grams fresh ramen noodles, preferably thick-cut

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Heat all 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-low heat in a frying pan. From the 30 grams minced scallions, reserve a little for the final garnish and add most (about 80%) to the pan. Sauté until wilted and beginning to brown around the edges; keep the reserved raw scallions separate.

   Uses 2 tablespoons vegetable oil · Most of the 30 grams minced scallions (about 80%); reserve the remainder

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Add all 9 grams grated ginger and 9 grams grated garlic to the scallion oil. Sauté until the aromatics are browned without blackening.

   Uses Scallions frying in vegetable oil · 9 grams fresh ginger, grated · 9 grams garlic, grated

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Add all 1 tablespoon doubanjiang to the aromatic pan and stir-fry for about 20 seconds, until the oil is vivid orange and fragrant.

   Stir-fry doubanjiang about 20 seconds · 1 minUses Browned scallion, ginger and garlic oil · 1 tablespoon Doubanjiang

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Add all the marinated ground pork from step 1 to the fragrant doubanjiang oil. Break it into small crumbs with the side of a spatula and stir-fry until crumbly and fully cooked, reaching at least 71°C (160°F).

   Uses Fragrant doubanjiang and aromatic oil · Marinated ground pork with soy sauce, mirin and optional Sichuan pepper

   
9. 9

   Step 9: When the noodles are tender, drain all the cooked noodles from step 4 well without rinsing. Transfer them to a bowl, stir the prepared sesame sauce from step 3 and add it all. Toss to coat, then divide the dressed noodles between two plates.

   Uses Cooked fresh ramen noodles · Prepared sesame and chili sauce

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Divide all the cooked pork topping between the two plates of dressed noodles. Add all the raw scallions reserved in step 5. Garnish with ready fried onions and ground cayenne pepper only if desired, and serve immediately.

    Uses Two plates of sesame-sauced noodles · Cooked ground-pork topping · Reserved raw scallions for garnish · Ready fried onions, for garnish, optional · Ground cayenne pepper for garnish, optional