Umami Vegetable Ramen
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 7 cups vegetable broth
- 1 ounce (about 15 each) dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1/2 of a medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
- 1 pint cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
- 10 ounces spinach
- 2 bunches broccolini (or broccoli), cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 packs dried instant ramen noodles, seasoning pack discarded (or fresh ramen noodles, if available)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 3 teaspoons chili paste sauce (sambal), less if you don’t want it spicy
- Vegetable, grapeseed or other neutral flavored oil
For garnish:
- 4 – 7 minutes eggs, peeled and sliced in half
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced on a bias
- seaweed flakes or furikake
Directions:
In a large saucepot on medium high heat bring the vegetable broth and dried shiitakes to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat until it’s gently simmering. Allow to simmer while you prepare everything else.
In a large skillet on medium high heat pour in about 1 tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is shimmering add the sliced onions and saute until the edges just begin to brown, approximately 4 minutes. Add the carrots and broccolini and saute, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until the carrots just begin to soften and the broccolini begins to brown. Remove to a plate or cutting board.
In the same skillet add the cremini mushrooms and cook until brown, adding more oil as needed. Once the mushrooms have browned and begun to shrink add the garlic and spinach and cook just until the spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat and set aside. Remove to the plate or cutting board with the onions and carrots.
Cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions (this can be done ahead just rinse the noodles in cold water and toss with a dash of oil to keep them from sticking).
Remove the shiitake mushrooms from the broth and thinly slice them with your vegetable knife, discarding the stems. Add the sliced shiitakes to the cremini mushrooms.
To season the broth: stir in the soy sauce, white miso paste and sambal. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
To serve: Divide noodles among four bowls. Top with vegetables, one egg cut in half per bowl and scallions. Ladle the broth over the noodles and top with seaweed flakes or furikake.
