Become A Miso Ramen Master With This Simple, Soul-Warming Recipe

I don’t know about you, but on a cold winter’s night a bowl of noodles in steaming hot broth goes a long way. This miso ramen recipe is just as much a starting off point for someone looking to enter the delicious world of ramen as it is for someone in search of a new weeknight meal. Don’t let all the elements intimidate you, it just looks like a lot when it’s written down. Try “The Quick Way” first, use chicken instead of pork belly, a simple vege broth or just go without all the garnishes. It’s certainly worth it in the end!

Miso Ramen

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Broth
• 1 kg of chicken bones (wings, carcasses, feet) or 1.5L of salt reduced chicken stock.
• 100g of smoky bacon (sliced into thick chunks)
• 1 brown onion (peeled and quartered)
• The whites of 5 spring onions
• 30g of dried shiitake mushrooms

Pork Belly
• 1 kg of boneless pork belly (skin removed)
• Salt-sugar mix (made up of 25g salt and 35g white sugar)

Miso Paste
• 120g of red miso (or 60g red miso and 60g white miso)
• 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
• A thumb sized piece of ginger (peeled and minced)
• 1tbsp of sesame oil

Jammy Eggs
• 4-6 eggs

Noodles and Garnishes
• 320g of dried ramen noodles (plus more if you want refills)
• Sesame seeds
• The greens of 5 spring onions
• Chilli oil (optional)

Method:

Broth, The Quick Way

• Combine your salt-reduced chicken stock, smoked bacon, brown onion, spring onion whites and dried shiitake mushrooms in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
• Remove your shiitake mushrooms from the saucepan/Dutch oven and set them aside for later. Strain the broth into a heat safe bowl.
• Reheat the strained broth in a large saucepan when needed.

Broth, The Longer (But More Delicious) Way

• Combine your chicken bones/pieces, smoked bacon, brown onion, spring onion whites and shiitake mushrooms in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
• Add enough cold water to cover the chicken pieces.
• Simmer over low heat for 3 to 3.5 hours uncovered.
• Remove your shiitake mushrooms from the saucepan/Dutch oven and set them aside for later. Strain the broth into a heat safe bowl.
• Reheat the strained broth in a large saucepan when needed

Pork Belly

• Pre-heat your oven to 180°C.
• Rub the salt-sugar mix all over the pork belly and place on a roasting tray in the oven.
• Cook for about 45 minutes to an hour (or until the internal temperature reads 62°C if you’re using a thermometer).

Note: The timing of this will depend on the thickness of your pork belly, so start checking on it from the 30 minute mark. Don’t stress if you overcook it slightly, pork belly has a high fat content making it really forgiving.

• Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
• Place in the fridge until needed.

Miso Paste

• In a medium sized bowl, use a fork to combine the miso(s), minced garlic, minced ginger and sesame oil.
• Heat a small saucepan over low heat and add the paste. Stir continuously until aromatic, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from the saucepan and set aside until needed.

Note: This miso paste is amazingly versatile. If you find yourself with extra, store the paste in the fridge with plastic wrap pressing down on it so it doesn’t oxidise. Add a spoonful to soups, stews or braises, use as a marinade for proteins, or as the base for a vinaigrette.

Jammy Eggs

• Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to the boil.
• Once boiling, turn heat to low.
• Gently place your eggs into the simmering water (a spider is really helpful here).
• Cook for 7 minutes before removing the eggs and placing them into an ice bath to halt cooking.
• Peel the eggs under running water and set aside until needed.

Bringing It All Together

• Slice off portions of your cooled pork belly.
• Fry over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the belly is crispy around the edges.
• Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add your ramen noodles and cook according to package instructions (usually 4 minutes).
• To assemble, place a tablespoon of your miso paste in your serving bowl followed by a ladleful of warmed broth. Mix to combine. Add more miso paste if you like it saltier.
• Place your cooked noodles in the centre of the bowl. Surround them with your cooked pork belly, egg and shiitake mushrooms. Garnish with sesame seeds, thinly sliced green onions and chilli oil (optional).

Recipe and photos by Kale Armstrong.