Japanese Ramen

Mon, 24 January 2022

A Japanese dish meaning 'pulled noodles', this is an extremely popular noodle soup made all over Japan from street stalls to fine dining restaurants. The stock is traditionally made from scratch by boiling pork/chicken/beef and some aromatic veg. We are using stock cubes today so this dish is super easy, delicious and nutritious. Please feel free to get creative, especially with leftovers. It's so fun to make and helps us stop food waste one dish at a time. The eggs are my favourite topping to the dish!

Makes 2 bowls

Takes 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs

• 3tbls soy sauce

• 2tbls mirin/sake, optional

• 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

• 750ml veg/beef/chicken stock, the best you can get or make!

• 1 small thumb ginger, crushed

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1/2 red chilli, sliced

• A handful of dried seaweed, optional

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

• 200g raw wheat noodles or capellini(angel hair) pasta

• 1/2 bunch scallions, finely sliced

• A handful of beansprouts

• Chilli oil or flakes

• Sesame seeds

Optional raw veg toppers: (A small amount of 1)

• 1 pok choi, chopped

• 2 carrots, grated

• 1/4 Chinese cabbage, sliced

• Spinach, chopped

Optional meat/vegan toppers: (a small amount of 1)

• Boiled, roast or fried pork, sliced or pulled

• Roast or grilled beef, sliced or pulled

• Grilled tofu, sliced 

• Poached/grilled/roast chicken, sliced or pulled

• Poached/fried prawns

Method:

1. First, get your eggs into boiling water for 6-7minutes depending on how gooey you like them.

2. Peel your eggs and place in a bowl. 

3. Put the soy sauce, mirin (if using) and vinegar over the eggs and gently toss.  

4. Set this aside to marinate for at least 20mins. Toss it around every so often.

5. Now get your stock in a pot on the hob and get it up nice and hot, add in your ginger, garlic, chilli, seaweed, and sesame oil. Let that bubble away while you cook your noodles.

6. We will cook these in salted water as per instructions of the packet; some Japanese would add a little bicarbonate of soda to help with the texture.

7. Meanwhile, prepare your toppings, chop your scallions, mixed veg and/or meat.

8. Place the drained noodles in your serving bowls first.

9. Ladle over the very hot broth.

10. Arrange the different veggies and whatever meat you have gone with on top in sections.

11. Slice the eggs in half and place in on top of the broth and noodles.

12. Drizzle over the marinade from the eggs on top. About a tablespoon each.

13. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and scallions and add as much chilli oil as desired.

14. Serve hot hot, not ideal to make in advance but it's really an assembly job so you could have all components prepped.