Looking for an appetizing noodle dish to enjoy on a hot summer day?
This cold tantanmen udon features chewy udon noodles in a creamy, spicy sesame soup, topped with savory ground pork and refreshing vegetables. It’s rich, satisfying, and perfect when you want something flavorful without eating a steaming-hot bowl of noodles.
What Is Tantanmen?
Tantanmen has its roots in Sichuan, China. The traditional Sichuan dish is generally served without soup, with noodles mixed into a spicy, savory sauce. In Mandarin Chinese, it is pronounced dàn dàn miàn, so the dish is commonly called dan dan noodles or dandanmian in English.
The soup-based style that became popular in Japan is said to have been developed by Chen Kenmin, a Sichuan-born chef who helped introduce Sichuan cuisine to Japanese diners. Traditional soupless dan dan noodles were unfamiliar to many people in Japan at the time, so he adapted the dish to suit local tastes. Inspired by the ramen already widely enjoyed in Japan, he created a milder, soup-based version with sesame paste.
This Japanese-style gradually gained popularity and developed into a distinct part of Japan’s noodle culture. Today, it is often treated as a type of ramen and is commonly called tantanmen or tantanmen ramen in English.
For this recipe, I’ve given Japanese-style tantanmen a summery twist by replacing the Chinese noodles with udon and serving the sesame soup cold. The smooth, slippery texture of udon makes it especially refreshing on a hot day.
How to Make Cold Tantanmen Udon
Ingredients for 2 Servings
2 portions of frozen udon noodles
Soy Milk Tantanmen Soup
150 g unsweetened soy milk
150 g reserved shiitake soaking liquid
5 g Chinese chicken stock powder
5 g scallop or shrimp stock powder
50 g Chinese sesame paste (zhīmajiàng)
2 tsp miso
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp Chinese chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
Seasoned Ground Pork
150 g ground pork
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
10 g Japanese leek, minced
10 g fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp miso
2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp sake
1 tsp soy sauce
Ground Sichuan pepper (huājiāo), to taste
Toppings (Optional)
1 soft-boiled egg, halved
1/4 cucumber, julienned
20 g Japanese leek, julienned
Chili threads, for garnish
Chili oil, to taste
Ingredient Tips
- Thin frozen udon noodles work especially well because the soup clings to them better. You can also use dried udon noodles instead; simply boil them according to the package instructions.
- Combining chicken stock powder with seafood stock powder gives the soup a deeper, more complex flavor. If scallop or shrimp stock powder is unavailable, you can use 10 g of chicken stock powder in total.
- Compared with regular white sesame paste, zhīmajiàng has a more pronounced roasted aroma, making it especially well suited to tantanmen soup. If you cannot find it, another type of white sesame paste can be used instead.
- Huājiāo is a spice commonly used in Chinese cooking. It has a distinctive numbing heat similar to Japanese sansho pepper. Adjust the amount to suit your taste.
Preparation
- Pour enough water over the dried shiitake mushrooms to cover them and soak for at least 3 hours. Once softened, cut off the stems and dice the caps into 7–8 mm (about 1/3 inch) pieces. Reserve the stems and soaking liquid for the soup.
- Make a lengthwise cut in the Japanese leek and remove the inner core. Julienne the outer layers into fine strips (shiraga-negi) for the topping, soak them in water until ready to use, and drain well before serving. Mince the reserved core for the seasoned ground pork.
- Combine the miso, sugar, sake, and soy sauce for the seasoned ground pork in a small bowl.
Instructions
Strain the shiitake soaking liquid and measure out 150 g. Place it in a small saucepan with the reserved shiitake stems and bring to a boil. Remove the stems, then add the chicken stock powder and scallop stock powder and stir until dissolved.
Place the sesame paste, miso, sugar, and chili bean paste in a bowl. Pour in the hot stock and whisk until smooth. Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and soy milk, and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Place the minced Japanese leek core, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil in a frying pan and cook over low heat. Once fragrant, add the ground pork and increase the heat to medium.
When the pork begins to brown, add the mixed seasonings and diced shiitake mushrooms. Continue cooking until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Add the ground Sichuan pepper and stir briefly, then remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the frozen udon noodles. You can also heat them in the microwave according to the package instructions.
Rinse the noodles thoroughly under running water to remove any surface starch, then drain very well. Divide the noodles between serving bowls and pour over the chilled soup. Top with the seasoned ground pork, soft-boiled egg, cucumber, shiraga-negi, and chili threads. Finish with chili oil.
Cooking Tips
- Dried shiitake soaking liquid has a deep, savory aroma and is often used as a plant-based dashi.
- The stems of dried shiitake mushrooms are usually too tough to eat, but simmering them in the soaking liquid helps infuse the stock with even more mushroom flavor.
This cold tantanmen udon is rich, creamy, and full of flavor, yet still refreshing enough for a hot summer day. Adjust the chili oil and Sichuan pepper to suit your taste, and enjoy your own perfect balance of spice, sesame, and savory umami.
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