Easy Vegetarian Ramen With Rich, Savory Broth

 

Easy Vegetarian Ramen with Rich, Savory Broth

If you’ve been pining for a vegetarian ramen that’s full of heft and deep, savory flavor, look no further. This is it. The longer you steep 

the dried shiitakes, the deeper the flavor will be — so 

if you can spare 10 minutes in the morning or the night before, it’s worth starting the recipe then. If not, you can make it all at once, and it will still be delicious. The only real trick to ramen is that there are a lot of moving parts at the very end. Enlist a helper to assemble the bowls, or just shake it like a boss for five minutes before serving. It’s fun and totally worth it.

Ingredients

8 cups good low-sodium vegetable broth, this is my favorite by far

1 ounce dried shiitakes, 15-20 mushrooms

¼ cup low-sodium tamari or other good soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2- inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon good butter

1 tablespoon white miso paste

1 tablespoon mirin, rice wine

10 ounces baby spinach

4 eggs

10 ounces sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms

4 servings fresh or dry ramen noodles*

One 6-ounce package baked tofu, at room temperature

2 to 3 scallions, white and green parts sliced

Gomasio, sesame salt

Toasted sesame oil with hot chili

Directions:

Combine the vegetable broth and dried shiitakes in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and remove from heat. Let mushrooms steep for at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.

Remove mushrooms from pot and roughly chop, removing and discarding stems. Add mushrooms to a blender with one cup of the broth and puree until perfectly smooth. Add this mixture back to the stock pot along with the tamari. The broth can sit at this stage until shortly before serving, up to a few days in the fridge if you like.

In a large frying pan, heat one tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, two minutes more. Add this mixture to the stock pot.

Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook for about a minute, until just wilted. Remove from pot and set aside.  Add eggs to pot, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 7 minutes. Remove eggs to an ice bath and carefully peel when cool enough to touch.

Return water to boil, then add noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain and divide noodles among four large bowls.

While noodles cook, add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil to the same frying pan used for the onion and heat over medium-high. Add the sliced shiitakes along with a couple of good pinches of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced in volume and nicely browned in spots, about 10 minutes.  

To assemble the ramen, bring the broth back up to a simmer and then remove from heat. Off the heat, whisk in the butter, miso paste and mirin. Ladle some broth over the noodles in each bowl, just shy of the level of the noodles. Arrange a little pile of spinach and of shiitakes in each bowl. Slice the tofu and arrange a few slices in each bowl. Cut each egg in half and place two halves in each bowl. Sprinkle with scallions, gomasio and a little toasted sesame chili oil, with extra garnishes to pass at the table. 

Serve with chopsticks and large spoons.  Serves 6 to 8

• To assemble the ramen, bring the broth back up to a simmer and then remove from heat. Off the heat, whisk in the butter, miso paste and mirin. Ladle some broth over the noodles in each bowl, just shy of the level of the noodles. Arrange a little pile of spinach and of shiitakes in each bowl. Slice the tofu and arrange a few slices in each bowl. Cut each egg in half and place two halves in each bowl. Sprinkle with scallions, gomasio and a little toasted sesame chili oil, with extra garnishes to pass at the table.
  
  Serve with chopsticks and large spoons

Cold Ramen Noodle. Salad With Napa Cabbage And Ginger Miso Dressing

Cold Ramen Noodle Salad With Napa

Cabbage & Ginger-Miso Dressing

A mash-up of slaw and pasta salad, this vegan dish features instant ramen noodles and crunchy raw vegetables in a gingery, umami-packed dressing. An optional garnish of shiso or perilla leaves lends a uniquely herbal flavour. Togarashi is a Japanese spice blend that includes hot pepper, orange peel and sesame seeds. Shiso, perilla and togarashi can be found at select Asian supermarkets.

Ingredients:

Ginger Miso Dressing
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped ginger
2 tbsp (30 mL) white miso
2 tbsp (30 mL) soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60 mL) rice vinegar
1/4 cup (60 mL) canola oil
2 tbsp (30 mL) sesame oil
Salad
3 single-serve pkgs (100 to 120 g each) instant ramen noodles, flavour packets discarded or saved for another use
5 cups (1.25 L) packed thinly sliced Napa cabbage
1 red Shepherd or bell pepper, julienned
1 medium-size carrot, peeled, julienned
3 green onions, green parts only, thinly sliced on bias
Salt to taste
Roasted sesame seeds and finely sliced shiso or perilla (optional) to garnish
Shichimi or Nanami togarashi to serve

Directions:

For the dressing, combine ginger, miso, soy, sugar and vinegar in blender. Blend until smooth. With motor running, add oils in a slow, steady stream until emulsified. Scrape down bowl and blend again. Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 1 month. Stir before using.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ramen and cook according to instructions on package. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cooled. Drain again and transfer to a very large mixing bowl. Blot excess moisture from ramen with paper towel.

Add cabbage, pepper, carrot and green onions to bowl. Season lightly with salt. Add enough dressing to coat, saving rest for another use. Using tongs, toss salad until well mixed.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and top with shiso or perilla, if using. Serve with togarashi on the side.  Serves 6 to 8

Ramen Noodle Salad

Cooked Ramen Noodle Salad

Cooked remen noodles create a taste, easy salad when mixed with
such as sweet napa cabbage, juicy corn kernels, crunchy cucumber, and vibrant cherry tomatoes. Tossed in a tangy and spicy sesame dressing, this easy 30-minute dish is both flavorful and satisfying. The mix of vegetables provides a delightful textural contrast to the bouncy noodles, while the dressing strikes the right balance of acidity and heat. To easily cut the nori sheet into thin strips, use a pair of scissors instead of a knife. To make ahead: Store the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Ingredients:
Dressing

3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon sriracha chile sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (about 1[1/2-inch] piece)
1/4 teaspoon grated garlic

Salad
2 (3.7-ounce) packages instant ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
1 cup baby arugula
1 cup thinly sliced napa cabbage
2/3 cup fresh corn kernels (from 1 largeear)
2/3 cup thinly sliced sugar snap peas
2/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 English cucumber, cut into 1/2-inch-thick matchsticks (about 2/3 cup)
1 (8- x 8-inch) nori sheet, cut into 2- x 1/4-inch strips (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 2small scallions)

Directions
Make the dressing 

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and well combined. Set aside.

Make the salad
Cook ramen according to package directions (without seasoning packets). Transfer cooked noodles to a large bowl of ice water, and let stand until chilled, about 3 minutes. Drain noodles, and transfer to a large serving bowl or two individual bowls.

Arrange arugula, cabbage, corn, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, and cucumber evenly over noodles. Sprinkle evenly divided nori and scallions in the center of each bowl. Drizzle each noodle salad with 1/4 cup dressing. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.

Napa Cabbage Salad

Napa Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:

1 head Napa cabbage

1 bunch minced green onions

1/4 cup butter

1 (3 ounce) package chicken flavor ramen noodles, broken

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

***

Directions:

Finely shredded the head of cabbage; do not chop. Combine the green onions and cabbage in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the crunchies: Melt the butter in a pot. Mix the broken ramen noodles, sesame seeds, and almonds into the pot with the melted butter. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake the crunchies in the preheated 350 degree oven, turning often to make sure they do not burn. When they are browned, remove from the oven.

Make the dressing; In a small saucep pan, heat vinegar, oil, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, let boil 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat and let cool.

Combine dressing, crunchies, and cabbage immediately before serving. Serve right away or the crunchies will go soggy. Serves 8

Oriental Salad .... This salad is a great crowd pleaser.

If you have invited company for lunch or are going on a picnic, take along this salad, a nice crusty baguette, and a bottle of chilled Chardonnay wine.

Oriental Salad

Dressing:

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons sugar

3 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1/2 cup salad oil

seasoning packet from chicken or pork ramen noodles

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

Place ingredients in jar and shake well then refrigerate. Do not substitute the sesame oil.

***

Salad

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced

4 green onions sliced

2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1 package ramen noodles, crushed

Salad greens of choice

fresh pea pods, trimmed

1 can water chestnuts, sliced

fresh parsley or cilantro

1/2 cup peanuts

1 red pepper, cut in strips

1 yellow pepper, cut in strips

Directions:

Place ramen noodles in skillet with just enough butter to toast. Stir often. Set aside to cool.

Assemble the salad ingredients and toss with dressing.

This is a complete meal and so refreshing.