Ramen - Japanese Noodle Soup

Elena Butuc

I was a bit sceptical when I started this ramen soup recipe, but because I was so curious to try it at home, I decided to carefully test each step. It was worth it, this combination of flavours managed to surprise me and we all started to like it, even the kids.

The Japanese ramen soup has 3 big components - the hearty and savoury meat broth, the Japanese noodles and the toppings. I recommend cooking the broth properly, made of bones and vegetables specific to the Asian cuisine - and use it as a starting point for the soup, where the rest of the ingredients can be adapted to taste and possibilities.

If you get to the advanced level, you can make homemade noodles for ramen, I am happy with the store-bought ones for the moment. As for the toppings, the egg halves and the meat are a must, after that, feel free to adapt each bowl. For example, I didn't use spring onion for the kids, but instead I added canned corn and julienned carrots. For us, the adults, I added some Shiitake mushrooms, boiled in the broth, wood ear mushrooms would go as well, so just feel free to adapt.

Of course, my ramen soup recipe is a simple one and there are so many other cooler ramen recipes, but this one is the basis for all of them. It's simple and universal, suited for beginners and, once you discover the taste, you can experiment more advanced recipes.

show all description

Ingredients

Metric US

●

Pork bones

1 kg

●

Pork tenderloin

1 piece

●

Egg

4 pieces

●

Noodles

300 g

any kind you prefer and have at hand

●

Green onions

5 pieces

●

Leek

1 piece

●

Ginger

10 g

the size of a walnut

●

Bell pepper

1 piece

●

Garlic cloves

5 pieces

●

Mushrooms

2 pieces

preferably, dried Shiitake mushrooms, but you can use other types as well, whichever you have

●

Soy sauce

5 tbsp

●

Salt

1 tbsp

Step by step

Step 1

1. Prepare and boil the meat broth

I prefer to cook it even a day before, so all the flavours can blend together and the broth can boil properly.

- So, first, place the pork bones in a big bowl, cover them completely with cold water and let stand for 1 hour.

Step 2

After 1 hour, drain the water, transfer the bones to a big cooking pot, fill it with water to cover the bones completely and bring to a boil.

When it comes to a boil, turn heat down and cook for another 15 minutes.

Step 3

After 15 minutes, carefully drain the hot water from the pot and wash the bones again with hot tap water.

This is what they look like when they are ready to start cooking the stock.

Step 4

Now return the bones to the clean pot, add 3 spring onions, leek (thoroughly washed and cut into big chunks), 1 whole pepper (cored), sliced fresh ginger, garlic cloves and Shiitake mushrooms / other mushrooms (if you have).

Cover everything with water and place over heat. When it comes to the boil, turn heat down and let simmer for 4 hours.

Step 5

After 4 hours, add the pork fillet to the soup and cook for 1 hour more.

At the end, turn off the heat and let cool for 1-2 hours, or even overnight.

Step 6

Now take out the cooked pork fillet - we will slice it and use it for the topping at the end.

Step 7

Sift the soup through a sieve - first I use a big one, then a finer one - so the soup is as clear as possible.

I don't use the bones and the veggies anymore, I throw them away, maybe I use just the mushrooms for the topping.

Step 8

The broth is ready, it's clear and flavorful. What we need to do now is just heat it up and add 4-5 tbsp soy sauce (to taste) and, maybe, salt. But if the soy sauce is good quality, salt may not be needed.

I recommend adding the sauce little by little and taste each time, it's important that you like it. I was surprised how well it combined with the soup, both the taste and the colour.

Step 9

2. We prepare the toppings and the noodles.

While the soup is hot, we prepare the toppings - first, cut the pork fillet and the mushrooms into thin slices.

Step 10

Boil the eggs for 6 minutes.

Then place them in cold water for 5-10 minutes.

Here I boiled 2 eggs for 4 servings of ramen (half an egg per serving) and the next day I boiled another 2 eggs for another 4 servings.

Step 11

Boil the noodles according to the instructions on the package.

Step 12

After you drain the water, you can add 1-2 tbsp sesami oil - for extra flavour and to keep the noodles apart.

Step 13

Finely chop the spring onion and some carrots, I liked how it felt in the soup.

Step 14

3. Assemble the soup.

In a deep bowl, place a handful of noodles and pour over enough hot soup to cover well.

Step 15

Decorate with slices of pork fillet, half an egg, spring onion and other toppings you like - slices of mushrooms, sweet corn, carrots etc.

For extra flavour, I recommend some Chinese flavoured/hot oil. I didn't use it for the kids, as I know they can't stand anything slightly hot in their food, but we, the adults, did like the combination a lot.

The soup was unexpectedly tasty and it surely became one of our favourites. You should definitely try it.

Enjoy!