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| Photo Courtesy of Jamie Federico |
"This is healing food." I say the same thing every time I eat a hot bowl of ramen.
What can I say? Japan gets it. They know how to eat well, how to prepare simple delicious meals in a way that still feels smart and not at all contrived.
I cuddle up to a bowl of this goodness, and things just feel better. My stomach is warm, I feel nourished. The beauty about ramen is that it is very much up for interpretation.
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| Photo Courtesy of Jamie Federico |
Keeping the flavor profile intact with the usual suspects--shallots, garlic, ginger and scallions--I usually make a kitchen-sink variety, meaning that whatever veggies I have on hand get thrown into the mix.
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| Photo Courtesy of Jamie Federico |
More often than not, things get topped off with a poached egg.
Dipping plastic in hot water initially sounds like a bad idea, but trust me on this. Crack an egg in plastic wrap, create a little pouch with it, and place in your hot water.
No more messy poaching in egg white-cloud water. Shout out to the brilliant Chef Carey Yorio for this.
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| Photo Courtesy of Jamie Federico |
While hardboiled is more traditional, the oozy yolk from a poached egg lends an amazing silky texture to the noodles. Think Asian Carbonara.
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| Photo Courtesy of Jamie Federico |
And please, always have
Sriracha on hand. I practically wear it in a holster while cooking. And even sometimes when I'm not.
Your Best Ramen in 5 Steps:
1. Boil and season water, cook noodles. Drain, set aside.
2. In a large pot, saute your aromatics: garlic, shallots, ginger, white parts of scallions or leeks.
Bump up the heat until you're scared of burning something. Deglaze with a bit of lime juice and soy sauce. Scrape the little crispy bits off the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the rest of your kitchen-sink vegetables, sauté until cooked through and flavors are well developed.
4. Add in desired amount of desired stock. I use low-sodium vegetable stock, about 1.5 quarts. If you prefer a soupier dish, add more.
5. Add your cooked noodles back in, turn off the heat. Dish it, top with desired toppings (chives, Sriracha, eggs, whatever you fancy) and enjoy!
*Note: If you want to get fancy, you can line bowls with seaweed before plating. Good times.
*Another note: This dish is proven to taste better in the rain, on your couch, in your most cuddly clothes, with a good movie on.
