Simple ramen

With baking in full swing last Wednesday, I found myself picking throughout the day (you know how it is) and by the time dinner arrived, I was needing something not too hefty. Ramen was calling my name.

Soup is great when I need a light bite but can be such a bland dinner choice. I need a bit of pizzazz at dinner and ramen suitably fits the bill using kitchen cupboard staples and creating an eye-pleasing (and delish) dish.

Here’s my quick simple recipe which feeds two people:

What you need:

800 ml vegetable stock
90g (approx) dried noodle nest
25g grated ginger
½ red onion (thinly sliced into long semi circles)
5 spring onions (thinly sliced into circles)
4 chestnut mushrooms (thinly sliced)
4 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 florets of tenderstem broccoli
1 egg
4 tbs soy sauce
1 ½ tbs hoisin sauce
1 tbs worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 tsp chinese five spice
1 tsp sesame seeds
½ tsp curry powder
Sesame oil

How to make:

In a small pan, hard boil the egg (by boiling for 4 minutes) and put to one side.
In a large pan, add a generous drizzle of sesame oil over a medium heat. Add both onions along with mushrooms and cook for five minutes or until ingredients have softened.
Add in the garlic and ginger and cook for a further five minutes. Occasionally stir the mixture to avoid burning.
Pour in the vegetable stock and add the soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, chinese five spice and curry powder. Mix well and bring to the boil.
Once the broth has started to boil, add the broccoli, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.
In a separate pan, boil some water and add the dried noodles. In five minutes they should be cooked.
Peel the boiled egg and half long ways.
Add the noodles to a bowl and spoon over the broth mix until the noodles are submerged.
Place the egg in the middle and sprinkle over the sesame seeds.
And after all that, you’re ready to plough in!