Eating in: Bootleg Ramen, But Boujee
Creating makeshift meals and keeping the cobwebs away from my camera during lockdown.
Prep: 5 mins // Cooking: 10 mins // Serves 2
The authentic ramen is a work of art, and there’s no denying how truly delicious this dish is when every component is made as a labour of love. Ramen, generally speaking, is a rich flavoured Japanese noodle soup, often topped with a selection of meat and veg, finished with a soft boiled egg. Whilst I’d love to make my own noodles and stretch them out with my bare hands (watch Pippa Middlehurst of @pippyeats doing so on her IG, it’s a pretty satisfying watch), or simmer chicken bones for 10 hours to create my own rich and meaty broth from scratch, we’re in lockdown. Our minds are slow and we’ve got to work with what is left on the shelves at Sainsbury’s for now.
Here is Jules’ ‘Famous Ramen’ recipe he’s been rustling up since his student days. I tarted it up by adding some extra veg, and topped it with ginger, soy, & chilli pickled red cabbage (recipe here.) It’s not authentic, but it’s a good shout if you’re looking for an easy, cheap, and delicious meal that’s ready in under 15 mins. You can also change up any of the veg or add cooked meat depending of what you have in your fridge, this seems to be our go to combination… I salivate a bit every time I think of it.
Ingredients
To cook:
2 x pack of flavoured instant noodles (check reverse if vegan)
2 eggs (can replace with firm tofu if vegan)
a large handful of button mushrooms (can use any)
2 large handfuls of carvolo nero (or any greens)
For toppings:
1 red chilli
2 spring onions (or 1 scallion)
toasted sesame seeds
homemade pickled red cabbage
crushed nori seaweed sheets
Method
Bring a pan of water to the boil, gently lower your eggs in and cook for 6 and a half minutes. Make sure you do a timer on your phone. This timing is for a soft boiled, gooey yolk. Skip this if you are vegan and add the diced tofu to the broth at the same time as the veg.
In the meantime prepare your veg. Shred the carvolo nero, quarter or half the button mushrooms, and chop your spring onions and chilli into fine slices. Bung on a full kettle.
Once the egg timer has gone off, quickly but gently transfer the eggs into a bowl of cold water to stop them cooking further. You’ll peel them whilst the noodles are cooking.
Now empty the contents of the noodle packets into a saucepan, along with the powder from the flavouring sachet. Pour over your boiled kettle water, maybe just over a pint per serving depending on how brothy you like your ramen. Put the hob on medium heat and add your chopped carvolo nero and button mushrooms. Cook off until the noodles are soft, about 5 mins.
Whilst waiting for the noodles, peel your eggs. Once the noodles are cooked, distribute into two deep bowls and gently slice your egg in half lengthways over each bowl to catch any yolk spillage.
Top with the red chilli and spring onion you chopped up before, along with the spicy pickled red cabbage, crushed seaweed sheets and toasted sesame seeds. I like to serve with soy or teriyaki sauce, and chinese style chilli oil or wasabi sriracha - done.
