Recipe: Tantanmen - Spicy sesame pork ramen (Serves 2)

Pork mince

250 g pork mince
Sesame oil for frying
Mirin to taste
2 tbspn soy sauce
2 tbspn Doubanjiang
Optional: 1 tspn Shiro miso

Soup

3 tbspn Chimajyan sesame paste
1 tbspn Rayu Japanese chili oil
1 tbspn Black Zhenjiang Vinegar (Optional)
3 cups water
1 cup chicken or pork bone broth

Noodle and toppings

2 serves ramen noodle
Wilted greens (bok choy / spinach / mustard greens)
1 cup corn
Soft boiled egg
Diced scallion
1 tspn Beni Shoga red pickled ginger
Other toppings of choice: Menma bamboo shoots, cubed tofu, bean sprouts

Method : Pork

Heat the sesame oil in a pan and add the minced pork, fry until brown
Add the doubanjiang and soy and stir fry.

Doubanjiang is a Chinese spicy miso / black bean sauce with a killer spicy umami richness, I recommend Lao Gan Ma "Chili Oil with Fermented Soy Beans" which should be available at all Asian supermarkets.

Add Mirin 1 tbspn at a time until desired sweetness is reached
If desired add white (shiro) miso at this point to add even more umami
Turn the pork off the heat and set asside

Method : Soup

I cheat and start with a tonkatsu soup base because roasting bones is not my idea of a good time, however if you feel strongly about this please refer to this recipe for tonkotsu broth from Serious Eats and prepare 4 cups of liquid.

I am aiming for 1.5 - 2 cups of broth per person you can adjust the liquid levels to your tastes
Prepare your tonkotsu broth, if using a base then add 3 cups of water and 1 cup of bone broth per 2 people
Heat the broth while you prepare the sesame paste
In a small bowl combine the rayu hot sesame oil and roasted sesame paste, then add to the soup
Stir until well integrated and the soup has reached serving temperature
If desired more rayu or sesame paste can be added to taste or black (Zhenjiang) vinegar used to balance

Method: Noodle and toppings

Pre-boil eggs while preparing soup or earlier in the day, if desired season with tea or soy. Eggs can be set aside and served at room temperature as they will warm with the soup
Boil the noodles and greens until al dente then drain, spoon per person servings into ramen bowls
Cook corn and set asside
Cut or cube any other toppings into bite sized pieces that can be collected with a spoon and chopsticks
Spoon soup over the noodles until the noodles are almost covered (~1.5 - 2 cups)
Top the soup with pork, egg cut in half, vegetables and remaining toppings in a circle
Top the pork with scallions and / or beni shoga
Remember ramen is designed to be customisable, add or remove toppings if my defaults are not to your taste
Serve with your favourite noodle bowls and anime =^.^=

One variation is to top with fried pork belly or chashu in place of the seasoned minced pork.