Ramen is something my husband started throwing together as a quick, easy and healthy meal a while back and we have it semi-regularly. He usually makes it with miso and beef broth, but we were out of miso, and I had pumpkin I wanted to use, so I went for a different flavour profile. Not what you might term authentic, Japanese ramen in the least, but tasty! Be aware, this recipe makes rather a large batch. I sometimes have issues with batch cooking... It did reheat very nicely though, with fresh noodles or a little extra stock.
Ingredients:
4 onions, chopped
1 head of garlic, minced
3-4" ginger, minced
2-3 tbsp peanut oil
1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 leek, chopped
1 pack mangetouts, halved
1 head of broccoli, floretted
3 l beef stock
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp ras-el-hanout
2 tsp Mix spice
2 c roast pumpkin purée
1 small squash, chopped
1/3c soy sauce
Noodles
sesame seeds
1) Heat the oil in the bottom of a soup pot. Sauté onions until translucent, then add garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant and starting to char a little and add squash. Cook 5 minutes, then add other ingredients except for mangetouts, noodles and sesame for seeds.
2) Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until squash and broccoli have reached just shy of their desired consistency, then add noodles and mangetouts. Taste test.
3) Remove from heat and serve as soon as noodles are cooked. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
I was unsure how this would come out but I am pleased with the end result. It would go very nicely with a little fresh coriander, but I didn't happen to have any on hand. It would also work well with veggie stock if need be.
Flatteringly, even my dad, who was over for dinner and an evening with the grandbabies, enjoyed it and went for seconds. Until now, his ramen experience has always been the instant kind in teenage boys' dorm rooms, and he has always complained that it smells like feet. His enjoyment of it I felt was therefore quite high praise.
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