Ramen is one of the best foods to make at home - not only does it take less than 30 mins, you can completely customise the flavours and make it as indulgent or as healthy as you wish. Ramen is my go to food when I don't have much time but want a filling lunch; or when I want a quick comforting dinner to enjoy whilst catching up on my favourite TV shows in PJs...
One of the key elements of ramen is the broth. The broth honestly makes or breaks this bowl of food - and I always prep my broth in advance because perfection takes time. You can of course use water and flavouring but there is nothing like the thick, nutritious slurp of chicken or bone broth to complement this dish.
I always opt for chicken or bone broth, however you can of course use vegetable broth if you are making veggie or vegan ramen. In this post, I will be sharing a recipe made with chicken broth. Chicken broth is full of nutrients and vitamins - as is bone broth. Chicken broth is the reason chicken soup if recommended for colds and flus as it helps to boost your body and help it rebuild it's immune system.
To make the most amazing chicken broth, you will need a chicken carcass - perfect if you have one left over from a Sunday roast!
Ingredients:
Chicken carcass, or leftover chicken bones
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2l of water
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Place the chicken carcass, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, and garlic in a large pot. Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer the stock for 2-4 hours, or until it is rich and flavorful.
Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids.
Season the stock with salt and pepper to taste.
Allow the stock to cool to room temperature, then transfer it to containers and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Now to make your ramen. I love using the packed ramen from supermarkets such as Shin or Samiyang, but you can grab a bigger packet of plain ramen, or egg noodles if you'd prefer.
Ingredients:
1 packet of Shin ramen
500ml broth
Thinly sliced beef fillet (one fillet will do several plates - you only need a little!)
1 nori sheet
1 egg yolk
Handful of the following: shiitake, oyster or enoki mushrooms edamame beans kimchi chilli peppers, chopped spring onion, chopped
Chilli oil to garnish
Instructions:
Bring the broth to a boil. Drop in your mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.
Drop in your noodles and any seasoning in the packet. Cook for a further 4-5 minutes until the noodles are cooked.
Transfer your noodles and broth onto a plate. Now start decorating - the super thinly sliced beef fillet should go in first so it can cook in the broth. Then layer all the other ingredients around the edge of the plate.
For the final step, slide on your egg yolk - this will also cook slightly in the broth and will add a delicious creamy taste and texture.
You can make so many variations of ramen - experiment with flavours and textures to find your very own perfect plate.
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