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SPIFFED UP RAMEN
01/31/19 — Heydon Hatcher
Recipe and Photo by Megan Winfrey
If you were to peek at my Favor app, you'd see a very long list of ramen and pho deliveries. It's the one thing that I constantly crave yet shy away from making at home. I've spiffed up Top Ramen before, in more of a Pad Thai sort of way, but that was college and I haven't purchased much packaged ramen since. On a rare, leisurely, child-less stroll through HEB, I was carefully scanning the Asian food aisle for reusable chopsticks. They didn't have any, but they did have about 6 different brands of packaged ramen that all looked pretty authentic. Knowing my CSA share was due the same week, the plan for a spiffed up ramen feast was formed. All I can say is, sorry Michi, you may be seeing less of me from now on.
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Spiffed Up Ramen (1 serving, can easily be doubled)
Optional:
Make the eggs a day in advance.
I used this basic recipe - all of the ones I searched were basically the same - but I modified it to what I had on hand. I substituted vermouth for the mirin, and a dry white wine for the sake. They came out slightly sweeter than I would have liked, but the flavors were definitely close enough!
Before starting the ramen, prepare the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the broccoli florets onto a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. I used a jalapeno-infused olive oil by Texas Olive Ranch to add some baked-in heat, but regular olive oil will work just fine. Bake the broccoli in the oven for about 20 minutes, until starting to brown but still somewhat crisp. While the broccoli bakes, add a splash of oil to a skillet and toast the sliced garlic over low heat until light brown, then remove onto a towel to drain. Next, wilt the bok choy in the same skillet over medium-low heat. Add the lime juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and some salt to the pan and cook, stirring often, until tender.
Once all of the toppings are cooked, chopped, and ready, cook the ramen noodles according to the package directions. If it comes with a powder seasoning, I recommend using only 3/4 of the packet. If it's a liquid-based seasoning, use it all.
While the ramen cooked, I put the packaged seasoning and chili garlic paste in the bottom of my most favorite plum Fiesta ramen bowl. When the noodles were a minute or two away from being done, I started spooning the pasta water into each bowl until about half full, stirring in the seasonings. Using tongs, I split the noodles evenly between each bowl, topped with all of the yummy vegetables and finally, that beautiful soft boiled and marinated egg.
If you were to peek at my Favor app, you'd see a very long list of ramen and pho deliveries. It's the one thing that I constantly crave yet shy away from making at home. I've spiffed up Top Ramen before, in more of a Pad Thai sort of way, but that was college and I haven't purchased much packaged ramen since. On a rare, leisurely, child-less stroll through HEB, I was carefully scanning the Asian food aisle for reusable chopsticks. They didn't have any, but they did have about 6 different brands of packaged ramen that all looked pretty authentic. Knowing my CSA share was due the same week, the plan for a spiffed up ramen feast was formed. All I can say is, sorry Michi, you may be seeing less of me from now on.
Spiffed Up Ramen (1 serving, can easily be doubled)
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 2 tbs. jalapeno infused olive oil, or regular olive oil
- 1/2 bunch of bok choy, sliced lengthwise
- Juice of 1/2 a lime
- 1 white, 1 purple, 1 orange carrot, shredded
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 soft boiled and/or Ajitsuke marinated egg
- Chili garlic paste, to taste
- Fresh chopped scallions for garnish
Optional:
- Sliced nori
- Sauteed mushrooms
- Corn
- Pickled ginger
- Braised pork
Make the eggs a day in advance.
I used this basic recipe - all of the ones I searched were basically the same - but I modified it to what I had on hand. I substituted vermouth for the mirin, and a dry white wine for the sake. They came out slightly sweeter than I would have liked, but the flavors were definitely close enough!
Before starting the ramen, prepare the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the broccoli florets onto a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. I used a jalapeno-infused olive oil by Texas Olive Ranch to add some baked-in heat, but regular olive oil will work just fine. Bake the broccoli in the oven for about 20 minutes, until starting to brown but still somewhat crisp. While the broccoli bakes, add a splash of oil to a skillet and toast the sliced garlic over low heat until light brown, then remove onto a towel to drain. Next, wilt the bok choy in the same skillet over medium-low heat. Add the lime juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and some salt to the pan and cook, stirring often, until tender.
Once all of the toppings are cooked, chopped, and ready, cook the ramen noodles according to the package directions. If it comes with a powder seasoning, I recommend using only 3/4 of the packet. If it's a liquid-based seasoning, use it all.
While the ramen cooked, I put the packaged seasoning and chili garlic paste in the bottom of my most favorite plum Fiesta ramen bowl. When the noodles were a minute or two away from being done, I started spooning the pasta water into each bowl until about half full, stirring in the seasonings. Using tongs, I split the noodles evenly between each bowl, topped with all of the yummy vegetables and finally, that beautiful soft boiled and marinated egg.
