I think ramen will forever be in my Top Five Snacks of All-Time.
In fact, it was the Truffle Butter Brother + Dungeness Crab Spicy Ramen at Sansei, Waikiki that I had way, way back in Hawaii that still remains my #1 thing ever eaten ever in the history of the world ever.
So when I pulled into the charming little town of Nikko and decided to treat myself to an, ahem, real meal and saw someone praising not only something called "Tan Tan Ramen", but also their generous serving of shisho—an almost basil-like leaf ubiquitous in many Asian dishes—I decided that this would be my place.
And it was.
For two straight days it was.
Same meal.
Absolutely incredible.
So what exactly is Tan Tan (or TanTan) and what makes it so different from, say, the normal miso or Tonkotsu (my previous favorite) variety?
Well, to start, it's not actually a Japanese dish.
Or is so in the way that New York Pizza is both an Italian and US invention.
Tan Tan used to be known as Dan Dan—a term used in Sichuan, China for the poles used to carry loads on one's shoulders. In order to make life easier, a dry, soupless noodle dish was invented. Being from the spiciest region of the country, it came with a kick and eventually made its way up to Shanghai—a city known for its sweeter take on dishes vs. salty or spicy—and a milder sesame broth was added. Flash forward how many years later and it arrives in a famously non-chili loving spot: Japan, who basically developed a 1:1 sesame soup + chili paste mixture, giving birth to the wonderful snack we're talking about today.
And while there are numerous variations these days, here is simply what you can expect vs. your normal order:
- Spicier
- A hint of fragrant leaf (the aforementioned shisho)
- Ground pork
- A slightly less umami* taste
In short, it's wonderful. Not to say I still don't bolt for a bowl of that boney broth that most of us associate with ramen, but this spicy spin makes for a perfect winter treat.
And while I usually like to include a recipe here, no way.
You need this one done by the pros.
Go get you some.
Tag me in the photo.
I wanna drool.
*Umami is the fifth taste, coined by the Japanese in the early 20th century (but probably was invented before that)—a meaty, savory, comforting, creamy broth-like characteristic.
