Quick & Easy Shiitake Ramen

Cook Time: ~20 Minutes

Authentic Japanese ramen has a notorious reputation for being somewhat difficult to make, which can scare off most home cooks. There are several reasons why that might be (making the broth, treating the eggs, the slightly more obscure ingredients to source) but I am here to tell you that simple, quick, and delicious ramen can be made in 20 minutes. Is it the most authentic? Certainly not. Is it nourishing and deeply satisfying? A big fat yes.

This shiitake ramen is comprised of just 8 core ingredients, and the rest are items you should have lying around in your kitchen or pantry.

Serves: 2-4

Time: ~20 Minutes

Information - What you require

Serving Size of 2-4 Individuals

Ingredients

• Shiitake mushrooms (~300g)

• Four Eggs

• Three garlic cloves

• Cavolo Nero cabbage (~200g)

• Silken & smooth tofu (~150g)

• Chicken or Veg stock (1L)

• Red or brown miso paste (1 tbsp)

• Dried nori (~2 sheets)

• Ramen or Rice noodles (100g)

• Soy sauce (1 tbsp)

• Sesame oil (1 tbsp)

• Sunflower oil (2 tbsp)

• Ground black pepper & salt

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Optional Ingredients & Notes

• Stock: You may use chicken or vegetable stock depending on your dietary needs or preferences. As a general rule of thumb, for those who are non-veg, I think chicken stock is always superior to veg stock in any dish.

• Noodles: For most people, I would suggest using ramen noodles. However, in my house, we tend to avoid gluten when we can, so have opted for rice noodles.

• Serving Size: These ingredients will prepare enough ramen for two hungry individuals or a light bowl of ramen for four people. If you are cooking for four, I would suggest upping the noodles to ~150g.

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Equipment

• One large pot

• Two small pots

Mise En Place - Food preparation

Remove the stalks from your cavolo nero and chop the leaves. Finely slice your garlic cloves. Keep your shiitake mushrooms whole, but slice any larger ones in half. Take two sheets of dried nori and slice them into the thinnest strips you can. Gently remove the tofu from its box (it can be extremely delicate) and slice it into cuboids. Measure out two tablespoons of sunflower oil in one bowl, and mix one tablespoon of both sesame oil and soy sauce into another.

Cooking Process

There will be three components to this dish that are cooked separately; your broth, the eggs, and the noodles. As a first step, place your eggs into a small pot, bring them to a boil, and cook for 5-6 minutes. Once cooked, place the eggs into a bowl of cold (or iced) water and leave aside until it’s time to peel them.

Next, take your large pot, fire the heat on nice and high, add sunflower oil followed by garlic, and fry for two minutes. Follow up with your stock and one heaped tablespoon of miso paste. Bring this to a boil, add your shiitake mushrooms and sliced cavolo nero and let simmer for 10 minutes. At this stage, I like to add a handful of dried mushrooms to increase the potency of the mushroom flavour, but that is optional. Once the 10 minutes are up, add your tablespoons of soy sauce and sesame oil.

While your broth is simmering, take a small pan, fill it with salted water and bring it to a boil. Throw in your noodles and cook them according to the packaging (ramen noodles typically take 3-5 minutes, while rice noodles will take 6-8 minutes). Once cooked, drain the noodles and divide them between the number of bowls you are serving. You should now have time to peel your eggs before the broth finishes simmering. Once peeled, drop them into the broth to allow them to heat up before serving.

To serve, pour a generous amount of broth over your noodles, ensuring you capture a healthy amount of mushrooms and cavolo nero. Slice your eggs in half and place them into the bowl and carefully add your slices of tofu, allowing them to warm up in the broth. Lastly, garnish with the sliced nori you prepared earlier.

If you do attempt this dish, please let me know how it goes, and if you variate the recipe in any way. Also, this newsletter relies upon word of mouth, so if you feel you know someone who would enjoy this publication please share it.

Thanks for reading,

Conor