We just love Ramen: It looks so good and feels luxurious, yet isn’t too much work. You can use a good instant dashi and this will come together in minutes. Frying the tofu isn’t necessary either, but we are guilty of loving the crisp in this dish. Also any vegetable will be great in this soup, so just use what you have on hand. We serve this dish with a side of our Citrus Pickled Radishes.
Serves 4
1 block firm silken tofu ¾ cup cornstarch 2 tbsp sesame salt 2 tbsp oil
1,5 L dashi broth (homemade or instant dashi) 6 tbsp soy sauce 4 tbsp mirin 3,5 oz mushrooms (we used shimeji) 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked 2 spring onion 2 handfuls of green leafy vegetables (we used radish greens) 4 servings of ramen noodles zest of 1 lemon
Cut the tofu into rectangles. In a shallow bowl, mix the cornstarch with the sesame salt. Toss the tofu in the mixture until it is well coated all around. At the same time, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and immediately add the tofu after coating. Fry for a few minutes on both sides until crispy, then drain on paper towels.
Finely chop the soaked shiitake and green onion. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the green leafy vegetables in it for 1-2 minutes and remove them with a slotted spoon. Bring the water to a boil again and cook the ramen noodles in it according to package instructions. Drain well.
Bring the dashi, soy sauce and mirin to a boil in a saucepan. Briefly cook the fresh mushrooms in it until soft. Meanwhile, divide the noodles among four bowls, pour the broth over them and stir through. Add the mushrooms, leafy greens, green onion, shiitake and the fried tofu. Sprinkle with lemon zest and serve immediately with a side of pickled radishes.