If you enjoy the 25c ramen noodles that you get at the grocery store, prepared as directed on the package with the little square seasoning pack, continue at your own risk. I'm not passing judgement—goodness only knows how many of those I had during college—but I am saying that once you make ramen like this, you'll never be able to go back.
We've all made at least one dish that took hours, required expensive ingredients, that ended with us exhausted and covered in flour or sauce, only to be disappointed when you were finally able to eat this thing you'd spent so much time and energy on. I'm happy to report that this is not one of those dishes.
It does require plenty of prep ahead of time—both the kombu dashi (kelp broth) and the broth take about three hours each to make—but the vast majority of that is inactive time. Seriously, the instructions for both are pretty much "put everything in a pot and let it cook." It's nearly impossible to screw up, and you can be doing whatever you want while it's cooking as long as you're around to keep an eye on it. Throw it on the back burner while you're making dinner one night and put it away before you go to bed. You won't be slaving away over the hot stove for hours on end.
Notes:
Feel free to add or remove garnishes. This would probably be amazing if you tossed some enoki or maitake mushrooms or sliced radishes in it. Every single item I've listed after the noodles is entirely optional (but recommended). If you want, you could even skip the pork and veggies altogether and just have ramen noodles in that delicious broth. But you should try it this way first. :)
You could go to an Asian market and get fresh ramen noodles if you wanted to. Here, I just used the noodles from the 25c packets from the grocery store (without the seasoning packet). It's really all about the broth, so as long as that's on point, your ramen is going to be amazing.
Not Your College Ramen
Makes 6 large bowls
For the broth:
Kombu dashi (recipe follows)
2 lbs chicken wings (or necks or backs, if you can find them)
1 lb pork spareribs or bone-in chops
2 bunches scallions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 head of garlic, cut in half
1 - 1.5" piece ginger, sliced
1/4 cup fuero wakame (optional)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
For the kombu dashi (kelp broth):
4 sheets dried kombu, approx 3x6"
4 qts water
For the pork:
1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp ground mustard
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 - 1 tsp black pepper
For the ramen and garnishes:
1 ramen packet per person
Soft-boiled eggs (instructions below)
Scallions, sliced
Carrots, julienned
Baby bok choy, core removed
Mung bean sprouts
Fresh cilantro
Sriracha
Sesame oil
Lime slices
Make ahead of time:
Make the kombu dashi:
Trim small slits in the kombu with a pair of kitchen scissors. Add the water and kombu to a large pot and let soak for two hours. Heat the pot over medium until you reach a gentle simmer, making sure the water does not boil (if it boils, the flavor will be very strong and the broth will turn cloudy). Cook for about 1 hour until the kombu is tender enough to pierce easily. Strain through a fine sieve, discarding the solids. Let cool for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Make the broth:
Put all ingredients (except soy sauce and mirin) in the largest pot you have. Add as much kombu dashi as will fit in the pot once the liquid is boiling, reserving any leftover dashi. Bring broth to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, adding more dashi as liquid reduces, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Strain broth through a fine sieve, discarding all solids (including meat). Cover and chill.
Soft boil the eggs:
Cook eggs in boiling water for 7 minutes, then remove and immediately submerge in an ice bath. Keep unpeeled eggs in the refrigerator in a bowl of water for up to 4 days.
When you're ready to eat:
Make the pork:
Preheat oven to 450 F. Whisk together all ingredients except for pork to make the glaze. Puncture the tenderloin with a fork several times, and let sit in the glaze for 15 - 20 minutes while the oven is preheating, turning occasionally if the glaze doesn't cover the pork. When the oven is preheated, line a baking sheet with foil (I can't stress this enough) and bake the pork for 25-29 minutes, flipping the tenderloin about halfway through and brushing with the glaze every few minutes. Pork is done when the internal temperature just registers 160 F. It will continue to cook a few degrees while it rests, so be careful not to overcook. Let rest for 5 - 10 minutes before cutting into 1/4" slices.
While the pork is cooking:
Remove the broth from the fridge and scoop into a saucepan. (It's probably separated, with a layer of fat on top and a jelly-like consistency underneath. Don't let the weirdness get to you. It'll be delicious once you heat it back up—promise!) Warm at medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
While the broth is heating, open the ramen and discard the seasoning packets. Cook in unsalted, boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain. Rinse thoroughly with cold water to keep the noodles from sticking together.
Prep the vegetables. There's no need to cook the carrots and bok choy—the raw veggies soften a bit in the broth and soak up some great flavor from that delicious broth you spent all that time making.
Peel the eggs and slice them in half. The yolk will still be a bit runny, so be careful not to let it pour out when you slice the egg open.
Assembly:
When the broth is heated, stir in the soy sauce and mirin.
Divide the ramen noodles between your bowls. Arrange scallions, pork, carrots, bok choy, bean sprouts, and soft boiled eggs on top. Ladle piping hot broth over everything, filling the bowl til the broth reaches the top of the noodles. Top with cilantro, Sriracha, sesame oil, and a few squeezes of lime juice. Open mouth, insert ramen. Mmmmm.
PS. Leftovers:
When I make this, it's usually just me and Adam, so we have plenty of leftovers. If you find yourself in the same boat, just refrigerate whatever's left of the broth, pork, and vegetables. When you're ready to have ramen again, all you need to do is heat the broth, make the noodles, and assemble your bowl. No need to reheat the pork separately—it'll warm up in the broth. The whole process should take you about ten minutes. Easy peasy!
Adapted from Bar Tartine and epicurious.
It also requires a long list of ingredients, but you probably have most of them already! Nothing on here is too expensive or obscure. I was able to find kombu and fuero wakame (both are types of dried seaweed, kombu might be labeled 'dried kelp') in the international aisle of our regular grocery store (Harris Teeter), but if you're not able to find them there, grab them from Amazon or an Asian market. I was also able to find some great deals on the chicken and pork for the broth—since the flavor's really coming from the bones, you don't need to spring for expensive cuts. I would strongly recommend buying a high-quality tenderloin for the pork slices though.
This is crazy, incredibly good food, and it will all be worth it.
Notes:
Feel free to add or remove garnishes. This would probably be amazing if you tossed some enoki or maitake mushrooms or sliced radishes in it. Every single item I've listed after the noodles is entirely optional (but recommended). If you want, you could even skip the pork and veggies altogether and just have ramen noodles in that delicious broth. But you should try it this way first. :)
You could go to an Asian market and get fresh ramen noodles if you wanted to. Here, I just used the noodles from the 25c packets from the grocery store (without the seasoning packet). It's really all about the broth, so as long as that's on point, your ramen is going to be amazing.
Not Your College Ramen
Makes 6 large bowls
For the broth:
Kombu dashi (recipe follows)
2 lbs chicken wings (or necks or backs, if you can find them)
1 lb pork spareribs or bone-in chops
2 bunches scallions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 head of garlic, cut in half
1 - 1.5" piece ginger, sliced
1/4 cup fuero wakame (optional)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
For the kombu dashi (kelp broth):
4 sheets dried kombu, approx 3x6"
4 qts water
For the pork:
1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp ground mustard
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 - 1 tsp black pepper
For the ramen and garnishes:
1 ramen packet per person
Soft-boiled eggs (instructions below)
Scallions, sliced
Carrots, julienned
Baby bok choy, core removed
Mung bean sprouts
Fresh cilantro
Sriracha
Sesame oil
Lime slices
Make ahead of time:
Make the kombu dashi:
Trim small slits in the kombu with a pair of kitchen scissors. Add the water and kombu to a large pot and let soak for two hours. Heat the pot over medium until you reach a gentle simmer, making sure the water does not boil (if it boils, the flavor will be very strong and the broth will turn cloudy). Cook for about 1 hour until the kombu is tender enough to pierce easily. Strain through a fine sieve, discarding the solids. Let cool for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Make the broth:
Put all ingredients (except soy sauce and mirin) in the largest pot you have. Add as much kombu dashi as will fit in the pot once the liquid is boiling, reserving any leftover dashi. Bring broth to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, adding more dashi as liquid reduces, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Strain broth through a fine sieve, discarding all solids (including meat). Cover and chill.
Soft boil the eggs:
Cook eggs in boiling water for 7 minutes, then remove and immediately submerge in an ice bath. Keep unpeeled eggs in the refrigerator in a bowl of water for up to 4 days.
When you're ready to eat:
Make the pork:
Preheat oven to 450 F. Whisk together all ingredients except for pork to make the glaze. Puncture the tenderloin with a fork several times, and let sit in the glaze for 15 - 20 minutes while the oven is preheating, turning occasionally if the glaze doesn't cover the pork. When the oven is preheated, line a baking sheet with foil (I can't stress this enough) and bake the pork for 25-29 minutes, flipping the tenderloin about halfway through and brushing with the glaze every few minutes. Pork is done when the internal temperature just registers 160 F. It will continue to cook a few degrees while it rests, so be careful not to overcook. Let rest for 5 - 10 minutes before cutting into 1/4" slices.
While the pork is cooking:
Remove the broth from the fridge and scoop into a saucepan. (It's probably separated, with a layer of fat on top and a jelly-like consistency underneath. Don't let the weirdness get to you. It'll be delicious once you heat it back up—promise!) Warm at medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
While the broth is heating, open the ramen and discard the seasoning packets. Cook in unsalted, boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain. Rinse thoroughly with cold water to keep the noodles from sticking together.
Prep the vegetables. There's no need to cook the carrots and bok choy—the raw veggies soften a bit in the broth and soak up some great flavor from that delicious broth you spent all that time making.
Peel the eggs and slice them in half. The yolk will still be a bit runny, so be careful not to let it pour out when you slice the egg open.
Assembly:
When the broth is heated, stir in the soy sauce and mirin.
Divide the ramen noodles between your bowls. Arrange scallions, pork, carrots, bok choy, bean sprouts, and soft boiled eggs on top. Ladle piping hot broth over everything, filling the bowl til the broth reaches the top of the noodles. Top with cilantro, Sriracha, sesame oil, and a few squeezes of lime juice. Open mouth, insert ramen. Mmmmm.
PS. Leftovers:
When I make this, it's usually just me and Adam, so we have plenty of leftovers. If you find yourself in the same boat, just refrigerate whatever's left of the broth, pork, and vegetables. When you're ready to have ramen again, all you need to do is heat the broth, make the noodles, and assemble your bowl. No need to reheat the pork separately—it'll warm up in the broth. The whole process should take you about ten minutes. Easy peasy!
Adapted from Bar Tartine and epicurious.
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