Make your own resto-style ramen

Easy Ramen -PHOTOS BY LEO M. SABANGAN II.

 

Craving for steaming hot ramen noodles these wet days? This light soup of pork with ramen noodles can be your perfect starter for rainy-day meals.

 

Similar in taste to real ramen served in restaurants, this home version makes use of simple ingredients such as pork belly, soft-boiled eggs and nori. The broth is simmered for hours with spices, meat and dried fish for a deep, full flavor.

 

“Making real ramen would require more effort in preparation and ingredients,” says San Miguel Foods culinary services manager Llena Tan-Arcenas. “This easy, improvised version of ramen can be served any time you want at home. You don’t need to eat out and pay a lot just to have a satisfying ramen meal.”

 

The dried dilis can be replaced with other dried fish varieties in the market. You can also replace ½ cup mirin with ½ cup sake for flavor boost.

 

At the table, serve individual bowls.

 

To make a perfect soft-boiled egg for ramen, Arcenas says to bring a pot of water to a boil then reduce heat and carefully slide the eggs into the water. Turn the heat up again to bring water back to a boil. Cook the eggs for 6 minutes for a soft runny yolk or 6½ minutes for slightly runny, then quickly transfer eggs to ice water.

 

This recipe makes 10 servings.

 

Easy Ramen

½ kg whole Monterey pork belly, skin removed

½ kg cut-up chicken or Magnolia Chicken Station chicken soup pack

100 g white onion, peeled and sliced in half

1 head garlic, peeled

1 c mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

¼ c light soy sauce

25 g dried dilis

1 tbsp iodized fine salt

12 c water

¼ c Magnolia fresh milk

900 g fresh Japanese-style ramen noodles, remove flavor packs and blanch noodles

2 pc nori sheets (optional), slice into strips or squares

5 pc brown eggs, soft-boiled, peeled and halved

 

Combine pork belly, chicken stock, onion and garlic.

 

Add mirin, light soy sauce, dried fish, salt and water in a big pot.

 

Simmer over low heat covered for 45 minutes or until pork is tender. Set aside pork to cool then slice.

 

Continue to reduce stock uncovered for another 10-15 minutes. Strain stock.

 

Add milk to soup. Turn off heat.

 

Arrange ramen noodles, nori, eggs and pork slices in bowls. Pour soup and serve.
Read more...