Soupy Dan Dan Ramen

Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground pork
• 4 servings Ramen noodles (fresh or dried)
• 6 cups Chicken or vegetable broth
• 4 tbsp Chinese sesame paste or unsweetened peanut butter
• 3 tbsp Chili oil with flakes (Lao Gan Ma style)
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Fresh ginger, grated
• 4 heads Baby bok choy, halved
• 2 stalks Green onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp Zha cai (preserved mustard greens)(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   In a large skillet, brown the ground pork over medium-high heat until fully cooked and slightly crispy.

2. 2

   Add half of the garlic, ginger, and one tablespoon of soy sauce to the pork, stirring for 2 minutes, then set aside.

3. 3

   In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame paste, chili oil, remaining soy sauce, and ground Sichuan peppercorns to create the sauce base.

4. 4

   Bring the broth to a simmer in a large pot and whisk in the sesame sauce base until the liquid is creamy and uniform.

5. 5

   In a separate pot of boiling water, cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions, adding the bok choy during the last minute of boiling.

6. 6

   Drain the noodles and bok choy, then divide them equally into four deep serving bowls.

7. 7

   Ladle the hot, spicy sesame broth over the noodles until they are submerged.

8. 8

   Top each bowl with the seasoned pork, sliced green onions, and preserved mustard greens before serving.