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Yasai Ramen
Serves 2 Prep 20 min Cook 35 min Total 55 min Type Meal Origin Japanese

Yasai Ramen

Vegetable ramen built on a mushroom-and-kombu broth: soy-tare for backbone, miso for body, fresh ramen noodles, and a colourful pile of toppings - soft-boiled egg, sweet corn, blanched bok choy, fried tofu, scallions, sesame, nori. The broth simmers 30 minutes; the assembly is the meal.

Serves 2 Prep 20 minutes Cook 35 minutes Units Rate

Overview

Mushroom (dried shiitake) and kombu (kelp) infuse hot water for the broth base. Garlic-and-ginger oil fries; miso paste, soy and mirin make the tare. Noodles cook fresh; everything assembles in deep bowls with toppings stacked artfully.

Ingredients

Broth

  • 1.2 litres hot water
  • 25 g dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 piece kombu (10 x 5 cm)
  • 4 spring onions (whole, smashed)
  • 4 garlic cloves (smashed)
  • 4 cm fresh ginger (sliced)

Tare and aroma

  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 4 tablespoons white misto paste(or red miso paste)
  • 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons mirin
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Toppings

  • 200 g firm tofu (cubed)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for the tofu)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 eggs (large, soft-boiled, halved)
  • 1 bok choy (small, or pak choi, halved lengthwise)
  • 100 g sweet corn (frozen or tinned)
  • 4 spring onions (sliced)
  • 1 sheet nori (cut into 4 strips)
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
  • A few drops chilli oil (optional)

Noodles

  • 200 g fresh ramen noodles (or 150 g dried ramen noodles)

Method

Stage 1 - Broth

  1. Pour the hot water over the shiitake and kombu in a large bowl; rest 20 minutes.
  2. Strain into a pot; squeeze the mushrooms gently. Save the rehydrated shiitake (slice for topping); discard the kombu.
  3. Add the spring onions, garlic and ginger to the strained broth; bring to a simmer.
  4. Cook 25-30 minutes uncovered, just bubbling.

Stage 2 - Tofu

  1. Heat the oil in a small pan over medium-high heat.
  2. Fry the tofu cubes 4-5 minutes, turning, until deep golden.
  3. Drizzle with the soy sauce; toss to coat; remove.

Stage 3 - Tare

  1. Strain the broth again into a clean pot.
  2. Whisk the sesame oil, miso, soy, mirin, sake (if using) and sugar in each serving bowl - about half the mixture per bowl.

Stage 4 - Blanch the bok choy

  1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil.
  2. Drop in the bok choy halves; cook 1 minute; lift out.
  3. Add the corn; cook 1 minute; lift out.

Stage 5 - Cook the noodles

  1. Cook the ramen noodles in the boiling water per packet instructions (usually 2-3 minutes for fresh).
  2. Drain.

Stage 6 - Assemble

  1. Pour about 500 ml of hot broth into each prepared bowl, whisking the tare in.
  2. Add the noodles; arrange the bok choy, corn, sliced shiitake, fried tofu, sliced egg and nori on top.
  3. Scatter sesame seeds and spring onions; drizzle with chilli oil if using.
  4. Eat right away.

Notes

  • Don't boil the miso: It loses its complex aroma. Whisk into the bowl, not the pot. Or add tare to the pot only briefly off the heat before serving.
  • Soft-boiled egg: 6 ½ minutes from rolling boil; ice bath; peel. The yolk should be still-jammy in the centre.
  • Broth depth: A handful of dried mushrooms more makes a deeper broth. Shiitakes work best; porcini or mixed dried mushrooms also good.

Storage

  • Broth keeps 4 days refrigerated and freezes 3 months. Cooked noodles and assembled bowls don't keep - always cook noodles fresh.

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