Wicken Yanks Tantan Ramen Noodles (2 large bowls)
Based on TanTanMen Ramen outside Gate 1, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan
For the Pork “Garnish:”
- 1/2 - 2/3lb ground pork (93% lean beef is OK in a pinch)
- 4 tsp Cooking Sake
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2-3 Chopped Spring Onions
- 1-3 tsp of Okinawan Chili Spice Mixture
- 2 cloves of Sliced Garlic (or 1 Tbsp minced garlic)
- 1-2 tsp Sesame Oil
For the Noodle Soup:
- 500ml Dashi (or Chicken Stock, if you can't get/make dashi)
- 4 Tbsp Tahini Sesame Paste
- 200g Ramen Noodles (NOT the freeze dried packets)
Total Soup Bowl Prep Wet Ingredients:
- 2-4 tsp Sesame Oil
- 4 tsp Rice Vinegar
- 4 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 4 tsp Layu Chili Oil
Prepare the Meat Garnish:
1. Place the ground meat in a skillet over medium heat, add the Cooking Sake and break up the meat so it gets coated in the sake as it cooks.
2. Once the meat is browned, add the Soy Sauce and cook a little longer until the meat is well coated and browned.
3. Remove the meat from the skillet and set aside
4. Place the skillet back on the heat
5. Put in the Sliced Garlic (or minced garlic)
6. Pour over the Sesame Oil and stir
7. When the garlic has some color (but do NOT let it burn), split it into 2 portions and place one portion in each of the soup bowls
Prepare the Broth:
1. In a large saucepan, heat the Dashi (or stock) over medium-low heat
2. Add the Tahini and let the soup approach a slow boil, turn down and stir
Prepare the Ramen Noodles per the package direction & place in the bowls - (For those that are ready to eat, just place the noodles in the bowl)
Prepare the Soup Bowls: - Sometimes I put the broth/dashi in last (like today)
1. Place the below measures in EACH of the soup bowls to build the flavors:
- 2 tsp Sesame Oil (I've been cutting this down to 1 tsp lately)
- 2 tsp Rice Vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tsp Layu Chili Oil
2. Ladle the soup over the noodles
3. Add Okinawan Chili Spice Mix to taste
(1 tsp = normal, 3 tsp = spicy)
4. Add meat garnish & sprinkle chopped Spring Onions
I like my ramen SPICY (so I go a little nuts on the ground chili and spices):
Sorry about the steamed-up iPhone camera lens. Didn't check the photo until AFTER we ate (oops)!
Give your bowl a good stir with your chopsticks to get all the spices and such combined. Make sure you have a cold beer and napkins handy. This is going to get messy.
Notes / Substitutions: If you can't find Tahini, we used to use about the same (or a little more) peanut butter in the soup.... but understand that your soup will have a slightly sweeter flavor (it's still really good in a pinch). Also, since my wife has to stay away from gluten, she makes her bowl with quinoa spaghetti or soba (buckwheat... completely gluten free).
Enjoy!
Shadow
