[caption id="attachment_645" align="aligncenter" width="1080"]96251894_657806118376399_2454133916500823641_n Miso Ramen with gai lan (Chinese broccoli)[/caption]

  • Adapted from: Pickled Plum and Mike's Mighty Good
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings
  • Category: Noodles
  • Method: Stove top
  • Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

For the fried tofu:

  • 1 large or 2 medium eggs, whisked
  • half a container of firm or extra-firm tofu, quartered and squeezed/patted dry
  • enough vegetable oil to cover your pan
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

For the miso tare (soup base):

  • 1 teaspoon ginger root (peeled and grated)
  • 1/4 cup red (aka), white (shiro), or awase (mixed) miso paste (I use awase miso)
  • 2 tablespoons cooking sake
  • 2 tablespoons mirin
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon tobanjan (Korean chili bean sauce), or 1/2 teaspoon each soy sauce & sriracha [optional]

For the ramen:

  • 1 cup bitter leafy vegetables (napa cabbage, bok choy, spinach, gai lan) shredded or finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup crisp vegetables (carrots, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts) prepared in thin strips
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 3 scallions / green onions (finely chopped, the white parts are preferred)
  • 2 servings of dry or fresh ramen noodles, or egg noodles
  • 4 cups (32oz) low sodium chicken stock
  • 2 soft boiled eggs (optional, see instructions)
  • 4 slices of kamaboko (fish cake, optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare all ingredients. Roll your tofu in the flour, then coat it in the whisked egg, and cover it in the panko.
  2. To softboil the eggs, bring water to a boil in a large (10+ cup) pot that will cover the egg by 1 inch. Once boiling, add in the egg and reduce the heat. Cook for 6.5 minutes. Then run under cold water. Do not discard the water.
  3. While this is boiling, mix the ingredients for the miso tare in a bowl and set aside.
  4. Add enough water to the pot to bring about 6 cups of water to boil for the noodles.
  5. In a medium sized pot (5+ cups) over medium heat, pour enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom. When the oil is hot, fry the tofu in the pan giving about 30 seconds for each side, or until they are golden brown.
  6. When they're done, discard all but 1 tablespoon of the oil, increase to medium-high heat, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  7. Add any other vegetables that need cooking/wilting (bok choy, napa, carrots, sprouts) and cook for 2 minutes until tender but still yielding a crunch. Set aside.
  8. In the same pot, heat up chicken stock. Scrape the bottom of the pot to let the garlicky oil mix in.
  9. When the water pot is boiling, add ramen noodles and cook and follow instructions on the package (usually about 3 minutes, or when it starts to boil over). Drain and set aside.
  10. Divide miso tare evenly between 2 bowls (about 2 tablespoons each).
  11. Add ramen noodles and chicken stock to the bowls.
  12. Stir well and top with your vegetables, fish cake, eggs, and scallions. Serve hot.
  13. For leftovers, make extra and store noodles/broth separately.