Spicy Tan Tan Soup (Tantanmen or Dan Dan Noodles)

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Servings: 2
Yield: 2 servings

Description

Dan dan noodles, also known as tan tan soup, is a traditional Chinese soup made with pork, chile peppers, and plenty of flavor.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons doubanjiang (soy bean paste)
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
6 ounces ground pork
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 tablespoon sake
1 tablespoon miso paste
1 teaspoon tianmianjiang (sweet bean paste)
4 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon rayu (chile oil)
1/2 cup fresh spinach, or to taste
2 cups ramen noodles, or to taste
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 red Thai chile pepper, sliced

Directions

1 Heat sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat; add doubanjiang. Cook and stir shallots, garlic, and ginger until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground pork; cook and stir until browned, about 3 minutes.
2 Mix soy sauce, tahini, sake, miso paste, and tianmianjiang into pork mixture until evenly combined. Add chicken stock; bring to a boil. Mix rice vinegar and rayu into pork mixture; add spinach. Simmer soup over low heat for 10 minutes.
3 Put noodles in a bowl of hot water to separate; drain. Mix noodles into soup and garnish with green onions and Thai chile peppers.