Spicy Tan Tan Soup (Tantanmen or Dan Dan Noodles)

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons doubanjiang , soy bean paste
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1 clove garlic , pressed
• 1.5 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 6 ounces ground pork
• 0.25 cups 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
• 0.5 cups fresh spinach , Optional
• 2 cups ramen noodles , or to taste
• 3 greens onions , thinly sliced
• 1 red Thai chile pepper , sliced

Instructions

1. 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. 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. 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.