There is a popular Chinese-style restaurant called Double Happiness (ダウブルハピネス) in my neighborhood in Yokohama, Japan. This restaurant specializes in Black Sesame Dan Dan Noodles or Black Sesame Tan Tan Men (黒胡麻担々麺) which we look forward to eating their noodles every year. We’ve tried dan dan noodles at many other restaurants, but we believe theirs is by far the best. The noodles are brilliantly redefined and oh-so-good! Inspired, I decided to tinker with the recipe and today I’m sharing my version of Black Sesame Tan Tan Men with you. Make this if you want a comforting, yet truly outstanding bowl of noodles!
Inspiration for Black Sesame Dan Dan Noodles
At Double Happiness, Mr. JOC always orders hot black sesame tan tan men (left picture below) while I always order the cold one (right picture). The broth for the hot version is made of black sesame paste, chicken broth, and soy milk, but the cold broth only includes chicken broth and ground black sesame so it’s less creamy. Both are just as mouthwatering as they look. To make an amazing bowl of dan dan noodles, I believe every element plays a role in accomplishing a layered, complex flavor. The perfectly cooked noodles, the savory broth, the meat mixtures, the toppings – each component can make a difference. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot have your own interpretation of the noodle dish. What distinguishes the Japanese take on this Sichuanese noodle is the addition of soymilk and black sesame paste. The broth is creamier, nuttier, and ultra umami without the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorn, hence black sesame dan dan noodles are appealing to anyone who can handle milder heat. Today I’ve made both hot and cold broths based on Double Happiness’ hot version.
6 Key Ingredients for Black Sesame Dan Dan Noodles
1. Black Sesame Paste
Black sesame paste or Kuro (black) Nerigoma (sesame paste) is 100% unhulled black sesame seeds in a paste form. Some brands may additionally include sesame oil and it is more liquidy. The paste is not sweetened, so we often add honey to sweeten it for black sesame desserts.
2. Unsweetened Soymilk
For my savory dishes that use soymilk, I use the unsweetened (original) flavor of soymilk. For the best nutty flavor, I highly recommend using soy milk and not other milk like cow milk or almond milk. In the US, unsweetened organic soymilk by Silk is widely available at your local grocery stores.
3. Chicken Stock/Broth
Depending on the brand of chicken stock/broth, the saltiness varies. Please always taste your soup before seasoning with salt. I use kosher salt for all my recipes. If you use table salt, please use half of the portion I specify in the recipes. If you like to make homemade chicken broth, here’s the recipe.
4. Tianmianjiang (Sweet Bean Paste)
This is a sweet paste of fermented beans. A spoonful of this sweet bean paste adds an incredible depth to the flavor. I use this jar that’s only written in Chinese. It is locally packed in the Bay Area, but I think it’s a Taiwanese brand. The Chinese characters read 甜麵醬 if you need to check the label.
5. Doubanjiang (Spicy or non-Spicy Broad Bean Paste)
For this recipe, I used LEE KUM KEE brand, but I like to mix spicy and non-spicy doubanjiang with my own ratio (based on kids’ level of tolerance).
6. La-yu (Japanese Chili Oil)
La-yu (ラー油・辣油) is a Japanese chili oil and you may see this small bottle at the table in Japanese restaurants. Although Japanese food is not spicy in general, we sometimes like to drizzle a bit of La-Yu in our dipping sauce (like for Gyoza), noodle soups, and soups.
How to Make Fried Garlic Chips
Fried garlic chips may seem like extra work, but they add such an amazing textural crunch and flavor to the black sesame dan dan noodles that I feel something would be missing if you decide to skip it. To make these garlic chips, you just need to add neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, canola, etc) in a large frying pan and slowly fry the thinly sliced garlic pieces until golden brown. The caveat here is to make sure you don’t heat the oil too fast to prevent burnt garlic slices. Once they are beautifully brown, transfer to a dish lined with a paper towel and keep the garlic-infused oil for other cooking. Feel free to make more and have these garlic chips on hand for your other noodle dishes or rice dishes such as Garlic Fried Rice and Oxtail Udon. Immersed in an unforgettable broth and adorned with various toppings, I promise this Black Sesame Dan Dan Noodles will satisfy your taste buds, leaving you craving for more. Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
