Tantanmen

Ingredients

• 8 oz (225g) ground pork
• 2 tbsp doubanjiang (chili bean paste)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 scallions, white and green parts separated, sliced
• 3 tbsp Japanese sesame paste (or tahini)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp chili oil, plus extra to serve
• 3 cups (720ml) chicken stock
• 2 portions fresh ramen noodles
• 2 cups baby bok choy, halved
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Before you cook

• Mince the garlic and ginger.
• Slice the scallions, keeping the white and green parts separate.
• Whisk the sesame paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili oil together in each serving bowl.

Steps

1. Heat the sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the ground pork and the white scallion parts.
3. Cook for 6 minutes, breaking the pork apart, until browned and slightly crisp.
4. Add the garlic, ginger, and doubanjiang to the pork.
5. Cook for 1 minute more, stirring, until fragrant.
6. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a separate pot.
7. Add the bok choy to the boiling stock and cook for 2 minutes, then lift it out.
8. Cook the ramen noodles in the same boiling stock according to the package directions.
9. Ladle a little of the hot stock into each prepared bowl and whisk to loosen the sesame sauce.
10. Pour the remaining stock and noodles into each bowl.
11. Top with the spicy ground pork and the blanched bok choy.
12. Garnish with the green scallion parts and a drizzle of extra chili oil.