Japanese Miso Ramen

Two years ago I posted about a Miso Ramen recipe we tried from the book Takashi's Noodles. I didn't really like the amounts used, or the way things were put together, but the recipe was a great starter point for some tweaks along the way.

I like what I said about ramen in that post, so I'll just quote it here! "Now if your only experience with ramen is with those dirt cheap instant noodle packs, let me tell you.. there's a whole other world out there! That's like going through life having only eaten pizza in the elementary school cafeteria, not knowing it also comes in a million varieties, & the difference good ingredients can make. Ramen shops in Japan usually make their own noodles, might spend 20 hours making the broth, can mix up lots of variations, and guard their secret recipes."

(For those of you counting calories, I've added the amount for each ingredient so you can easily make tweaks without having to re-calculate everything. Anything marked with an asterisk* may vary a lot based on what you buy, so make sure to compare your label.) 

Japanese Miso Ramen

 

Broth ~

3 Tbsp. minced onion (11)

2 tsp. sesame oil (87)

2 tsp. minced garlic (0)

1 tsp. grated ginger (1)

¼ lb. mild pork sausage (Tennessee Pride, 400*)

3 Tbsp. cup awase miso (90*)

4 cups water (0)

2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce (60*)

2 Tbsp. soy sauce (20)

1 ½ Tbsp. sesame seeds (78)

1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon (3 cubes, 15)

1 tsp. tobanjan (optional, 5)

1) Combine the onion, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a medium saucepan (4 quart) over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring often, for about 4 minutes, until the ingredients are soft and fragrant.

2) Mix in the sausage and increase the heat to medium. Cook for 4 minutes, breaking the browned meat apart into small pieces.

3) Add the miso and stir, letting the heat melt it, until blended smoothly. Stir in the water and raise the heat to high.

4) Add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame seeds, bouillon, and tobanjan. Bring to a boil and skim any skum off the surface. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.

Ramen ~

4 (3 oz.) packs of dried ramen noodles (discard flavoring packets, 1520*)

5-6 Ajitsuke tamago, sliced in half (optional, but awesome, 450-540)

3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, warmed (113)

2 green onions, white & green parts, sliced (10)

1) Cook the ramen noodles, following package instructions, or microwave each pack in water for 4 minutes. Drain well and divide among 5-6 bowls. (You can also warm the corn in a little water in the microwave.)

2) To garnish like the picture ~ Place the egg halves on one side of the bowl. Next to that, add the corn on one side and green onions on the other. In the remaining space, pour the broth into the bowl and the sausage will collect on top of the noodles. Serves 5-6.

Calories - 492 for 1/6th (with 1 tamago), or 572 for 1/5