Photo from Adobe Stock/photosomething
A basic bowl of miso ramen requires little in the way of toppings. The salty, funky broth is the star here. Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans, salt, koji fungus, and sometimes rice or barley. It comes in white, yellow, red, and brown varieties, each with its own flavor. The different colors depend on the amount of time the miso is aged, how the soybeans are cooked (steamed or boiled), and whether rice or barley are used.
Makes 4 bowls of ramen
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes|
Difficulty level: 1
Weeknight meal
Ingredient tip: If miso is stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it can last well over a year. The flavor, though, may diminish slightly after a few months, so try not to stockpile too much of the stuff.
Raw pork belly photo from Adobe Stock/Jultud
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup Basic Miso Tare
- 5 cups any type clear soup
- 1 1/3 pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen
- 4 to 8 slices pork chashu
- Negi (finely chopped scallions)
From the store:
- Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth.
- Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the medium-thick, curly style.
Steps:
- With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel.
- Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat.
- Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes.
- About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls.
- Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy.
- Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately.
Photo from Adobe Stock/Odua Images
Also from Ramen at Home:
More about Japanese cuisine on Fermentation!
Excerpt from Ramen at Home: The Easy Japanese Cookbook for Classic Ramen and Bold New Flavors by Brian MacDuckston, published by Rockridge Press. Copyright © 2017 by Callisto Media. All rights reserved.