Tantanmen Ramen with Spicy Pork and Bok Choy

Name: Tantanmen Ramen with Spicy Pork and Bok Choy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (14 g) neutral oil; 12 ounces (340 g) ground pork, at room temperature for 15 minutes; 3 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely minced; 1 tablespoon (8 g) fresh ginger, finely minced; 1 tablespoon (18 g) doubanjiang (chili bean paste); 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sake or Shaoxing wine; 1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar; 4 cups (950 ml) unsalted chicken stock; 1½ cups (355 ml) unsweetened soy milk; 4 tablespoons (60 g) Japanese sesame paste (neri goma) or tahini; 2 tablespoons (36 g) white miso; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, grated; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; 2 teaspoons (10 ml) toasted sesame oil; 14 ounces (400 g) fresh ramen noodles, loosened by hand (use 12 oz/340 g if dried); 4 small heads (340 g) baby bok choy, halved lengthwise and rinsed well between the leaves; 4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced; 4 teaspoons (20 ml) chili oil with sediment, plus more to taste; 1 tablespoon (9 g) toasted white sesame seeds (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A Japanese-style take on dan dan noodles: a creamy sesame-miso broth, savory chili-spiked ground pork, tender bok choy and springy ramen noodles. Rich, nutty and warming, and ready in about 50 minutes.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: 4 large bowls

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the spicy pork
1 tablespoon (14 g) neutral oil
12 ounces (340 g) ground pork, at room temperature for 15 minutes
3 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon (8 g) fresh ginger, finely minced
1 tablespoon (18 g) doubanjiang (chili bean paste)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) sake or Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar
For the sesame broth
4 cups (950 ml) unsalted chicken stock
1½ cups (355 ml) unsweetened soy milk
4 tablespoons (60 g) Japanese sesame paste (neri goma) or tahini
2 tablespoons (36 g) white miso
2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, grated
1 tablespoon (15 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) toasted sesame oil
For the bowls
14 ounces (400 g) fresh ramen noodles, loosened by hand (use 12 oz/340 g if dried)
4 small heads (340 g) baby bok choy, halved lengthwise and rinsed well between the leaves
4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced
4 teaspoons (20 ml) chili oil with sediment, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon (9 g) toasted white sesame seeds (optional)

Equipment (7)

Large wok or 12-inch (30 cm) skillet
3-quart (3 L) saucepan for the broth
Large pot (5-quart/5 L) for boiling noodles
Wooden spoon or spatula
Fine-mesh strainer or noodle strainer
4 large ramen bowls (about 24 oz/700 ml each)
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Have all ingredients chopped and measured before you turn on the heat; the pork and broth come together quickly.
Use unsweetened Japanese sesame paste (neri goma) or tahini; do not use sesame oil in its place.
Bring a separate large pot of water to a boil for the noodles and bok choy. Do not cook noodles in the broth, as the starch will cloud it.
Chili oil heat varies widely; start with the lower amount and add more at the table.

1
Boil noodle water
- Fill a 5-quart (5 L) pot about three-quarters full with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Leave it uncovered and unsalted or lightly salted, as the broth is already seasoned.
- If you like, warm four ramen bowls by filling them with hot tap water, then empty them just before assembling.
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Ready when: Water is at a full rolling boil
Tip: Start this first so it is ready when the broth finishes.
2
Brown the pork
- Heat the neutral oil in a wok or 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Add the ground pork and break it into small crumbles with a spatula.
- Cook, stirring only occasionally, for 6 to 7 minutes until the liquid evaporates and the pork is browned with crisp edges.
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Ready when: Pork is deeply browned, with crisp edges and no visible pink or liquid; internal temperature is at least 160°F (71°C)
Tip: Don't crowd or stir constantly, or the pork will steam instead of browning.
3
Season the pork
- Push the pork to one side and add the garlic, ginger and doubanjiang to the cleared space.
- Stir 30 seconds until fragrant and the oil turns red.
- Mix into the pork, then add the soy sauce, sake and sugar.
- Cook 1 to 2 minutes until the pan is nearly dry and glossy.
- Scrape into a bowl and keep warm.
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Ready when: Pork looks glossy and almost dry, with a rich savory-spicy smell
Tip: Lower the heat if the garlic starts to darken; burnt garlic turns bitter.
4
Heat the stock
- In a 3-quart (3 L) saucepan, combine the chicken stock and grated garlic.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, about 4 minutes, with small bubbles around the edges.
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Ready when: Small bubbles break around the edge of the pan
5
Whisk the sesame base
- In a medium bowl, whisk the sesame paste and miso with about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the hot stock until completely smooth, then whisk in the soy sauce.
- Pour this back into the saucepan and stir well.
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Ready when: No lumps of paste remain and the broth looks creamy and uniform
Tip: Thinning the thick paste with a little stock first prevents lumps.
6
Finish the broth
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the soy milk.
- Warm for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until steaming and hot throughout, about 175°F (80°C).
- Stir in the rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil.
- Taste and add a splash more soy sauce if needed.
- Keep warm on low.
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Ready when: Broth is steaming and creamy, with no bubbling at the surface
Tip: Do not let it boil after adding soy milk, or it may curdle and separate.
7
Cook the bok choy
- Add the bok choy halves to the boiling water and cook 1 to 2 minutes until the stems are bright green and just tender.
- Lift out with tongs or a strainer, drain well and set aside, keeping the water at a boil.
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Ready when: Leaves are vivid green and the thick stems pierce easily with a knife tip
Tip: Pull it out early; it keeps cooking from residual heat.
8
Cook the noodles
- Add the loosened noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package, usually 2 to 3 minutes for fresh noodles (4 to 5 for dried), stirring once or twice.
- Drain thoroughly in a strainer, shaking off all the water.
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Ready when: Noodles are springy with a slight bite in the center but no raw white core
Tip: Drain very well; extra water dilutes the broth.
9
Assemble the bowls
- Divide the noodles among four warm bowls.
- Ladle about 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) hot broth into each bowl.
- Top with a quarter of the pork, two bok choy halves, and the scallions.
- Drizzle 1 teaspoon chili oil over each bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds if using.
- Serve immediately with extra chili oil at the table.
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Ready when: Bowls are steaming, with noodles submerged and toppings arranged on top
Tip: Serve right away; the noodles keep absorbing broth and soften as they sit.

Good to know

Tips

For a richer, more traditional broth, replace 1 cup (240 ml) of the stock with pork or tonkotsu-style stock.
Add 1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn to the pork for the tingling, numbing flavor found in many tantanmen.
Taste the broth before serving: if too thick, thin with a splash of hot stock; if flat, add a little more soy sauce or vinegar.
Add a soft-boiled egg (cooked 6 1/2 minutes) for extra richness.

Make ahead

The spicy pork and the sesame broth can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated separately. Reheat the broth gently over medium-low heat without boiling. Cook the noodles and bok choy fresh just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Store the pork and broth separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days, and freeze the pork up to 2 months. Broth can be frozen up to 1 month, though the texture may be slightly less smooth; whisk while reheating. Reheat the broth over medium-low heat until steaming (do not boil) and the pork in a skillet over medium heat until hot throughout. Leftover cooked noodles don't keep well, so cook noodles fresh.

Substitutions

ground pork → ground chicken, turkey or crumbled firm tofu. Poultry will be leaner, so add an extra teaspoon of oil; cook to 165°F (74°C) for poultry.
doubanjiang (chili bean paste) → 1 tablespoon miso plus 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili flakes. Less complex and fermented but still savory and spicy.
unsweetened soy milk → unsweetened oat milk or additional chicken stock. Stock gives a lighter, thinner broth.
baby bok choy → spinach or baby choy sum. Spinach needs only 20 to 30 seconds in the boiling water.