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–+ servings

15 Minute Spicy Tsukemen (Dipping Ramen)

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients 
 

For the mince

  • ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 30 g Japanese leek (naganegi) white part, finely diced
  • 1 chili pepper dry or fresh finely sliced (red or green)
  • 1 clove garlic finely diced
  • 1 tbsp ginger root finely diced
  • 50 g ground pork
  • 1 tbsp chili bean sauce (toban djan)
  • 1 tbsp yellow miso paste (awase)
  • 1 tbsp ground sesame seeds
  • 1 pinch ground black pepper

For the soup

Ramen noodles and optional toppings

Instructions 

  • Heat a large frying pan (it will need to fit the soup later) on medium low and add ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil. Once hot, add 30 g Japanese leek (naganegi), 1 chili pepper, 1 tbsp ginger root and 1 clove garlic and fry until fragrant.
    Frying chopped spring onion, chili, garlic and ginger in sesame oil
  • Once fragrant, turn up the heat to medium and add 50 g ground pork. Fry until browned.
    Frying ground pork in a frying pan
  • Next, add 1 tbsp chili bean sauce (toban djan), 1 tbsp yellow miso paste (awase), 1 pinch ground black pepper and 1 tbsp ground sesame seeds. Mix well and stir fry for 1 minute.
    Stir frying ground pork with miso paste and tobanjan
  • Add 300 ml water and 1 tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder, then bring it to a boil.
    Making tsukemen soup
  • Once the liquid is boiling, turn down heat to simmer and add 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) and 1 tsp sugar.
    Adding soy sauce and sugar to tsukemen soup
  • In a small separate bowl, mix the potato starch and cold water to make a 1 tsp potato starch (katakuriko). Add the slurry to the soup and cook until slightly thickened, stirring continuously.
    starch and cold water mixed in a bowl to make a slurry
  • Once thickened, remove from the heat and place a lid on top of the pan to keep it hot until serving.
    Thickening tsukemen broth with a slurry made of potato starch and cold water
  • Cook 2 portions ramen noodles according to the instructions on the packaging. Once the noodles are cooked, pour them into a colander to drain the water and rinse with warm running water to remove excess starch.
    boiling ramen noodles in a pot
  • Transfer the noodles to mixing bowl and drizzle with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil. Mix until evenly coated and then divide onto serving plates. Top each portion with 1 tbsp finely chopped green onions, kizami nori (shredded nori) and your choice of toppings.
    Pour the soup into individual dipping bowls and top with 30 g garlic chive(s), 1 chili pepper, 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds and 1 dash chili oil (rayu).
    Finished Tsukemen ramen with spicy dipping soup
  • Enjoy!
    Ramen noodles dipped in a spicy tsukemen soup

Notes

Adjust the amount of chili and chili oil depending on your personal spice tolerance. 
This recipe is moderately spicy, the spiciness can be lowered by reducing the chili, chili oil and tobanjan. (If you reduce tobanjan, I recommend increasing the amount of miso paste.)
NOTE: The nutritional value is based on when you drink up the dipping sauce, which we don't.