The Chinese-inspired ramen dish with a spicy sesame and chili broth is tantanmen.
Tantanmen is Japan’s ramen-style adaptation of Sichuan dandan noodles. Its defining profile is a reddish, spicy soup enriched with sesame, chili oil, and commonly minced pork. Chopped scallions, greens, or bok choy may be added as garnishes.
The original Sichuan dish is often served relatively dry, with noodles coated in a spicy sauce rather than submerged in broth. Japanese cooks transformed that flavor idea into a soup ramen, which is why tantanmen is usually described as a Chinese-influenced Japanese noodle dish.
The name may appear as tantan-men or tan tan men, reflecting different romanization choices. It should not be confused with tsukemen, where noodles are dipped into a separate bowl of broth, or abura soba, which is served without soup. Hiyashi chuka is chilled ramen with a vinegary dressing, not a spicy sesame broth.