The romance of a fire on a cold night is a perfect setting for a bowl of hot ramen. All three cats made a rare joint appearance to watch what skill Tess and J. exhibited by slurping noodles while sitting on the floor!
Home-made stock is key to an exceptionable bowl of ramen; it’s a delightful surprise to turn up a container of the broth from the deep back of your freezer—one of the many nice discoveries made as we slowly move house. Recalling previous rushed moves where people have “helped” by packing boxes at random, I’ve tried not to bring things here until there is a place to put them. My pasta machine remains at the old house so I was not able to make ramen noodles. If you are inclined to try, I revealed the secret ingredient one needs to produce some really good noodles.
Miso Ramen
from: The Japanese Kitchen
•250 Recipes in a Traditional Spirit•
by Hiroko Shimbo
page 330
serves 3
Have ready:
- 4 cups ramen stock
- 4 ramen bowls
- 13 ounces chukasoba noodles
Warm the ramen stock over low heat while you prepare the recipe. Warm the noodle bowls in a low oven or in hot water. When you have most of the preparation done, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package directions.
The Flavor Base:
- 1/2 Tablespoon mamemiso (soybean miso)
- 1/2 cup Saikyo miso (sweet white miso)
- 1 teaspoon toban jiang, or more if you like hot spice
- pinch sansho pepper
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
In a suribachi (or a bowl with a fork), combine the two misos. Add the chile-bean sauce, sansho, and garlic. In a small skillet over low heat, add the lard to melt. Stir in the miso mixture and cook, stirring, for five minutes. Stir into the simmering ramen stock.
The Toppings:
- 4 scallions, cut into thin slices
- 12 to 20 slices chashu, or cooked ham
- 2 nori sheets, cut into triangles
- 2 soft hard-boiled eggs, cut in half
Additional Flavors:
- 4 teaspoons ninniku-dare
- 4 teaspoons toban jiang
To serve:
In each plate, place 1 Tablespoon of the miso-base and 1 teaspoon of garlic paste. Drain the cooked noodles and divide among the bowls. Add 1 cup of hot ramen stock to each bowl. Use chopsticks or tongs to sift and stir the noodles so the flavorings dissolve. Arrange the pork, bamboo shoots, nori, and green onions on top. Give each diner a small dish with the additional flavoring so each can adjust their ramen to taste.
Ramen Recipes:
 make ramen noodles |
 garlic condiment |
 chashu |
 ramen stock |
 pork miso ramen |
 miso ramen |
 shoyu ramen |
 fried chuka soba |
 spicy sesame ramen |
 hiyashi chuka soba |
 menma (bamboo) |
 ramen stock |
Tess's Japanese Kitchen 
Caught me in all my elegance! I hope your readers will at least be impressed by the stylish cats.
What a warm and comfy little scene! It actually feels very Japanese country!
That is probably because the only furniture in there is the chair, 3 small nesting tables, and 2 wooden boxes, 2 tatami mats, and a zabuton.
If you saw the half empty boxes and lengths of fabric on the floor, the clutter would be very un-Japanese…
Still life: Man with cats.
Eating cross legged IS the height of elegance Mr Tess!
The ramen looks perfect! Oh sorry for the pun.
It’s late. But seeing this now I’m hungry. Eating vicariously is indeed food for the eyes and in keeping with our Japanese sensibilities. Tess’s blog might become my Pillowbook.
We had soup here tonight too on our side of the globe – lamb and barley. (-:
Heard two physicists on the radio talking about how life on this planet might have been made possible by the size of our moon. It’s apparent counterweight preventing the earth from keeling over.
Goodnight Mr & Mrs Tess and cats. x
Ah, yes. It is the rabbit in the moon who is busily pounding our the elixir of life…
Dana Sobe, in Planets, discusses what happens when a planet is knocked off it’s rotational axis. Global warming indeed. Not weather conducive to life!
We’ve been getting a lot of Australian lamb here. I have two legs in the freezer. I’m not quite sure how to fix it Japanese-style. Any suggestions? One I think I’ll just roast with garlic and rosemary: this year my tiny rosemary bush is surviving, a feat I’ve not managed in the past five years. I think it likes the coolness and light in the library.
miso ramen is my favorite kind of ramen and tess, yours looks amazing. so perfect by the fire, the height of luxury, and elegance, really. gorgeous kitties.
Thank you!
Miso is often the secret ingredient in lots of meals I make. People don’t necessarily know it’s there, but do notice an interesting enhancement of flavor.
We have not used the fireplace (nor the living-room) very much yet. You can see why!
I am trying to make sliding panel curtains to screen the neighbors’ view but the project is taking longer than I thought it would.