Vegan Sesame Tantanmen (Homemade Ramen)

What's in it

14 parts read from its 19 ingredient lines and its title.

Broth base

• Seafood or dashi (kombu, bonito, niboshi) “1.5 cup kombu dashi broth or vegetable (300ml)”
• Soy milk “1 cup soy milk (250ml)”

Tare and seasoning

• Soy sauce (shoyu) “2 tbsp soy sauce”
• Miso “1/2 tbsp miso paste”
• Sesame paste or tahini “3 tbsp asian sesame paste”
• Vinegar “1/2 tbsp rice vinegar”

Aroma oil

• Chili oil (rayu) “1 tsp rayu (Japanese red chili oil)”
• Sesame oil “1 tbsp sesame oil”

Noodles

• Ramen noodles, kind not stated “2 portions of ramen noodles”

Toppings

• Scallion or negi “Additional garnishes: crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, sliced green onions, sliced garlic tops, soy sauce and rayu/red chili oil.”
• Bean sprouts “1 cup bean sprout”
• Sweet corn “1/2 cup corn”
• Cabbage “1/2 head of small cabbage, shredded”
• Tofu “100 g soy meat or tofu”

Against the usual Tantanmen

It has 2 of the 4 parts of the usual Tantanmen: sesame paste or tahini and chili oil (rayu). Not on it: ground pork or other minced meat and greens (spinach or bok choy).

Less usual for the style: seafood or dashi (kombu, bonito, niboshi) (in 14% of Tantanmen recipes), bean sprouts (in 18% of Tantanmen recipes), sweet corn (in 11% of Tantanmen recipes), cabbage (in 3% of Tantanmen recipes) and tofu (in 7% of Tantanmen recipes).

The Japanese take on Sichuan dan dan noodles: a broth thick with sesame paste and hot with chili oil, topped with spiced ground pork and greens such as bok choy or spinach. It is also made without soup (shirunashi) or cold.