This is one of those incredible meals that will warm you inside-out and nourish you completely. It’s easy to make in a large quantity, so perfect for having people over. It just requires a bit of time to let the broth simmer on the stove. The broth has a traditional Japanese kombu dashi base, and is by Post Punk Kitchen: Miso Dashi Broth. This recipe makes enough broth for 3-4 ramen bowls. A tip for cooking with miso–do not let it boil! Simmering is fine, but boiling will kill all of the micro-organisms that support digestion.
Once the broth is almost ready, begin preparing the rest of the ingredients. Cook the noodles in water according to package directions. The vegetable combination I used was shiitake mushrooms, broccolini, kale, and bean sprouts. Feel free to explore other vegetables, but I suggest limiting sweeter vegetables such as carrots. Some great additions are daikon, zucchini, bok choy, rutabaga, and burdock (also called gobo). If you’re adding tofu, see directions below on when to add. Silken tofu is best, cut into small 1-cm cubes.
To prep the vegetables and assemble:
1) Heat a small amount of sesame oil in a skillet over low-medium heat. Make sure this doesn’t get too hot since sesame oil has a low smoking point.
2) Saute the vegetables, starting with those that have a longer cooking time. I put in the shiitake and broccolini first, sauteed them for 2 minutes, and then added the kale and after a minute, the bean sprouts. Don’t overcook.
3) Place the broth in a pot, and bring to a simmer. Add tofu if you’re using it, and simmer for 2-3 minutes to heat the tofu. Remove the pot from heat and add the vegetables.
4) Separate the noodles into bowls, and cover with broth & vegetables. Enjoy!
mind body mouth 