Recipe of the week: Warming Veggie Ramen
This week's delicious recipe is a scrumptious veggie ramen; a simple, perfect and healthy weekday supper. Soy eggs crown this dish. Top tip! Curing the eggs in advance will save time when cooking.
PREP TIME: 30 minutes (plus 2 hours curing time). COOK TIME: 2 hours. SERVES: 4
Ingredients:
Soy Eggs - inspired by Christina Tosi (Momofuku restaurant):
200ml warm water
A small piece fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons sweet vinegar
300ml low salt soy sauce
4 Clarence Court Large Burford Brown eggs
Broth:
2 litres vegetable stock
5cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled
30g dried mushrooms (shiitake)
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons dried dulse seaweed (optional)
To make the soup:
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 brown onion, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
150g fresh shiitake mushrooms, cut in half
1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced
1 tablespoon brown miso
1 tablespoon peanut butter
225g pack of firm smoked tofu
1 tablespoon cornflour
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
4 nests ramen noodles
300g mixed sprouting broccoli, sprouting cauliflower or asparagus, chopped
4 small bok choi, pak choi, cut in half
125g baby spinach
Sesame oil
Your choice of dried seaweed
Method:
Start by making the soy eggs. In a large bowl whisk together the warm water, grated ginger and sugar to dissolve. Then stir in the vinegar and soy sauce. Boil the eggs to your liking (soft boiled in preferable with ramen) then run them under cold water until chill. Carefully peel the eggs and add to the bowl of soy sauce marinade. Place a plate on top of the eggs if needed to make sure they are fully submerged. Place the bowl in the fridge for 2-6 hours.
To make the broth, pour the vegetable stock into a large saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer on a low heat. Place a large frying pan on a medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and dry fry for a minutes until smelling delicious and tip into the pan of stock. Add the dried mushrooms, tamari or soy sauce and the dried seaweed if using. Leave the broth to simmer on a low heat whilst you make the soup base.
Place another saucepan on a medium heat, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil followed by the onions. Stir fry for 3 minutes then add the garlic and peppers. Stir fry for a further 3 minutes then add the mushrooms and chilli. Continue to fry for a further 5 minutes. Then stir in the miso and peanut butter, turn the heat down to low.
Strain the stock into the pan of fried vegetables. Turn up the heat to bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer whilst you prep the other ingredients. Slice the tofu and dust the slices lightly in cornflour. Place a frying pan on the hob and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Fry the tofu slices in batches on each side until golden. Scatter a few tablespoons of sesame seeds on to a plate and roll the cooked tofu slices in it and place to one side.
Cook the noodles according to packet instructions (usually boil for 1 minute then rinse in cold water) and leave until needed saucepan or heat proof bowl.
When it’s nearly time to serve, turn up the heat on the soup and add the chopped greens and cook for 1 minute, then add the bok choi halves and cook for a further 4 minutes until tender. Stir in the spinach and turn off the heat.
Reheat the noodles by pouring boiling water on them then draining and tossing in a little toasted sesame oil. Arrange the noodles in your serving bowls then add the cooked vegetables and tofu. Pour over the hot soup.
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