Japanese Miso Ramen Noodle
By lorik
For the broth, use pork-based or vegetable broth. Chicken and beef are too strong in flavor for this soup.
Ingredients
- Variation from Saveur:
- 4 eggs
- 10 oz (285 g) dried ramen noodles
- 1/2 cup (200 g) fresh or canned bamboo shoots, sliced
- 1/2 cup (170 g) fresh or canned corn kernels, drained
- 1/3 cup (80 g) defrosted frozen or fresh spinach
- 8 cups (2 liters) store-bought or homemade pork or vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons instant dashi granules
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste
- 4 tablespoons fresh miso paste
- 1 cup (100 g) fresh bean sprouts
- 1 stalk green onion (scallions), finely chopped
- 4 teaspoons chili oil (optional)
- 9 cups chicken ramen broth, divided
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz.)
- 1 ⁄2 lb. mung bean sprouts
- 2 green onions
- 20 oz. fresh ramen noodles (recommended: Sun Noodle
- 1 7-minute egg, sliced in half
- 2 green onions, green parts only, sliced thinly at an angle. Reserve the white bottoms to make fennel oil.
- Fennel oil, for garnish
- Fennel Oil:
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 piece green fennel stalk with fronts attached (2 oz.)
- 4 pieces star anise
- Green onion trimmings from above
- 2 cloves garlic
- Put all ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer over very low heat for 1 hour. Remove from heat and cool completely before straining.
Preparation
Step 1
Place the whole, un-cracked eggs in a medium pot and fill with water to cover eggs by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Turn the heat to high and when boiling, turn the heat off and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Promptly use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs and peel the egg under cold running water. Slice each egg in half.
Return the same pot of water to a boil. Add the ramen noodles and cook according to package instructions (most ramen noodles only take 3 minutes to cook.) Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Divide the noodles, hardboiled eggs, bamboo shoots, corn and spinach among 4 large serving bowls.
In a large pot, add the stock, instant dashi and soy sauce. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the miso. Taste the soup and add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of miso if you’d like. Ladle soup into each bowl. Top each bowl with fresh bean sprouts, green onions and a drizzle of chili oil, if desired.
Recommended Dashi: Hon-Dashi Brand Bonito Fish Soup Stock
Recommended Miso: Shin shu White Shiro Miso Soybean Paste
Variation:
1 Bring 1 quart (4 cups) ramen broth to a simmer and poach the chicken breasts for 8 minutes. Remove and cool. Slice into half-inch pieces at a slight angle.
2 Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large saucepan. Blanch the sprouts for 20 seconds, strain, and plunge in ice water to stop their cooking. Set the sprouts aside until ready to plate.
3 Make sure your ramen broth is simmering, your noodle water is boiling rapidly, and your toppings are all prepared and ready to plate. Drop 5 oz. of the noodles in the water and cook for 90 seconds. While they are boiling, ladle 1 ¼ cup (10 ounces) of broth into a soup bowl.
4 Strain the noodles and place in the bowl of broth. Pick up the noodles with chopsticks and fold them over on each other to create a bed for the toppings to sit upon. Repeat with remaining noodles and broth.
5 Garnish the bowls with the sliced chicken breast, blanched bean sprouts, and green onions. Drizzle fennel oil over the toppings.