Real ramen shops simmer broth for a day. On a Tuesday night, you and I are not doing that, and the wonderful secret is that we do not have to. With a few pantry heroes you can build a bowl in half an hour that steams, slurps and comforts like the real thing.
The 30-minute broth that tastes like hours
For two bowls: soften 3 minced garlic cloves and a thumb of grated ginger in a tablespoon of oil. Add 1 tablespoon white or red miso and let it toast for thirty seconds. Pour in 4 cups of good chicken or vegetable stock, add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mirin (or a pinch of sugar) and a teaspoon of sesame oil. Simmer 15 minutes. Taste: it should be a little saltier than soup you would eat alone, because noodles dilute it. A splash of milk or soy milk at the end gives a creamy tonkotsu-style body if you like it rich.
The jammy egg, timed to the second
Lower fridge-cold eggs into boiling water and cook exactly 6 minutes 30 seconds, then straight into iced water. Peel gently. For next-level eggs, marinate them for a few hours in equal parts soy sauce, mirin and water. Halved on top of the bowl, the soft centre is the whole point.
Noodles and assembly
- Cook fresh or dried ramen noodles separately, one minute less than the packet says, and drain well. Never cook them in the broth.
- Warm the serving bowls with hot water first: ramen cools fast.
- Noodles in first, broth over, then arrange toppings in neat sections rather than a jumble.
Topping ideas, from minimal to loaded
- Essentials: jammy egg, sliced scallions, a sheet of nori.
- Vegetables: quick-seared mushrooms, corn, spinach wilted in the broth, bean sprouts.
- Protein: shredded rotisserie chicken, leftover pork, crispy tofu.
- Finishers: chili crisp, black garlic oil, toasted sesame, a knob of butter with corn for Hokkaido style.
Make it your house bowl
The beauty of weeknight ramen is that it is a template, not a recipe. Miso for depth, soy for salt, something aromatic, something silky, something crunchy. Once you have made it twice you will stop measuring, and that is when it becomes your signature comfort food. Serve immediately, slurp audibly: in ramen culture that is a compliment.
Save this cozy bowl to your dinner board, and find more easy comfort food recipes on Plumeo. Daily cravings at @Plumeoblog.