At a time when we're looking for some warmth and comfort food, ramen is a perfect go-to bowl.
Ingredients
Vegetable stock: 500 ml
Tofu cut into square slices: 100 gm
Green chillis finely chopped: 6-7
Ramen noodles
Sesame oil for frying tofu
Bhut jolokia powder/Chilli oil
Garlic cloves: 3-4
Ginger slices: 3-4
Spring onion: 5-6 stalks
Soy sauce: 1 cup
Rice wine vinegar: 1/4 cup
Method:
To make the tare, in a saucepan, pour in the cup of soy sauce, and 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar, and to that add bhut jolokia powder or chilli oil, garlic cloves, ginger, and spring onion stalks. Bring it to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes until it becomes half. Set aside
For the tofu chashu, marinate slices of tofu with the tare you have prepared (keep aside at least four tbsp of tare for the bowl later) and let it marinate for 15-20 minutes. Make sure all sides are coated
In a frying pan, add some sesame oil and pan-fry the tofu slices until golden brown
Cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions
Make sure the vegetable stock is hot before serving
In a bowl, add about two tablespoons of the tare and then pour the vegetable stock. Adjust the flavour by adding more tare if required
Add the noodles and top it off with chopped green chillis and tofu chashu
Serve hot
(by Sreepathy Paliath @agentfoodie)
Ingredients
For the Soy
Marinated eggs
Soy sauce: 1 tbsp
Vinegar: 1 tbsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Sugar: 1 tsp
Garlic paste: 1 tsp
Splash of water
Mirin (optional): 1 tsp
Method
Boil eggs for 5-6 minutes.
But in an ice batch soon after to stop them from cooking further.
Peel and put them in a plastic zip-lock bag with the marinade
Throw this in the fridge for 4 hrs - one day
For the Ramen Broth Sesame oil
Minced garlic: 1½ tsp
Grated ginger: ½ tsp
Small onion, chopped
Sake / Rice wine (optional): 1 tbsp
Chilli paste: 1 tsp
Sugar: 1 tbsp
Shiro miso: 3 tbsp
Chicken or mushroom stock/broth: 4 cups
Salt and pepper to taste
Chilli oil: 2 tbsp (optional)
Toasted white sesame seeds
Marinated tofu: 100 gm
Chopped spring onions
Marinated Soy eggs
For the noodles:
Fresh or ready made noodles: 2 servings
Method:
Add the shallot oil to a big nonstick wok
Add minced garlic and ginger and cook for a minute
Add the onion and cook until they brown
Mix in the chilli paste, sugar and deglaze the pan with the rice wine
Add in your broth and boil for 1-2 minutes
Take some broth into a bowl, add your shiro miso and dilute it before adding it to your broth.
Boil for 5-10 minutes and add salt and pepper to taste
Assemble:
Cook your noodles to package instructions, or for 6 minutes for fresh noodles
Add them to your ramen bowl.
Spoon in the broth until the noodles are floating in it
Add in the marinated eggs and tofu, spring onions and sesame seeds
Garnish with chilli oil and serve hot!
(by Samyuktha Alwar, @littlealwars_bakehouse)