Ramen
First off, this is not the Ramen you might remember from childhood. There is no little package of flavored powder that you dump into noodles. Hands down, this is my favorite dinner, and my husband would tell you the same thing. We love it. There is just something so satisfying about sitting down to this steaming bowl of goodness. I’m not going to lie and tell you that making Ramen is super quick and easy. It’s not, it’s somewhat time consuming, but so worth it. Nothing in the process is super complex or difficult, it just takes time, specifically, roasting the pork. It will require you to make a trip to an Asian market to get a couple specialty items, but they will last you for a very long time. Ask someone for help, if you’re aren’t familiar with Bonito or Nori. Ramen is the perfect dish to make when you’re going to be home most of the day, but it doesn’t require you to stay glued to the kitchen.
Whenever I cook a pork roast, I buy the biggest one they have because it is so versatile and I can use it in so many other recipes. I use what I need for the Ramen then I portion the rest out and freeze it to use later. Please click on the link below to see how I roast my pork. This is the first and longest step in the process. I like to get my pork roasting in the morning then it’s ready to go whenever I want to prepare dinner.
This recipe makes Ramen for two. Double or triple it based on how much you want to make. You can use whatever type of noodles you prefer, whether it be Lo Mein, rice noodles or a thicker Udon noodle, you pick.
Lo Mein Noodles or whatever noodles you prefer
4 strips thick-cut bac0n- cooked and broken into bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups roasted pork- shredded into bite size pieces
2 eggs & distilled white vinegar
8 cups beef broth
1 package Bonito-not the entire bag, just one of the small envelopes (dried & shaved fish or shrimp)
2 sheets/strips Nori (dried seaweed)
1/2 cup soy sauce
To garnish: Toasted Sesame Seeds
Green onions- thinly sliced
Kimchi- I love Chongga Brand
Give yourself and hour to make the broth & finish the other preparations. Your pork should be done and cooled by this point. I like to shred my pork with a fork into bite size pieces. In a large pot, combine the beef broth, Bonito, Nori and soy sauce. Bring this to a simmer (don’t boil) and just let it cook. While it is going, cook your bacon then pat off excess oil with a paper towel. Break it into bite size pieces.
To poach your eggs, bring a small pot of water up to a simmer (don’t boil) then add a splash of distilled white vinegar (this helps the egg whites to set). I like to crack the egg into a small ramekin or bowl, I can then gently lower it into the water, tipping it slowly. Gently stir the water in a circle, this will keep the egg from sticking to the bottom, but do it gently so you don’t separate the white from the yolk. I do this a couple times. It should take about 4 minutes to poach. You want the white to remain intact and get slightly firm but you want the yolk to remain runny. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and place on a plate covered with a very damp paper towel. You don’t want the egg to stick. If you aren’t comfortable poaching, you can always make sunny side up eggs to top your Ramen with.
Cut your green onions. Cook your noodles according to the instructions on the package. Typically, they cook very quickly then you’ll drain the water off. Ideally, you want your broth to simmer and meld flavors for close to an hour. Strain your broth, you don’t want to eat the Bonito or Nori. Taste it and add salt if needed.
To assemble the Ramen, I use very big bowls (not your average cereal bowl). On the bottom I put a little bit of the roast pork and a little bacon, then I put the noodles on top of that. On top of the noodles I put the remaining pork & bacon. Make a slight well right in the center and gently place your poached egg there. Using a measuring cup or a large ladle, cover the noodles & meat with your strained broth. Top it with the toasted sesame seeds & green onions. Whewwwww!!! You did it! Enjoy!
