Bowden Family Cookbook: Easy Ramen (Not really, but crazy delicious)

EASY RAMEN (actually incredibly time consuming but delicious)

2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp dark soy sauce (Or mushroom dark soy sauce) double the amount of light soy sauce (below) if you don’t have dark soy sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 garlic cloves chopped finely
4 pieces of chicken thighboneless, skin off or on

2 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp dark soy sauce (or mushroom dark soy sauce) or 1 tbsp light soy sauce + 1 tbsp water

4 - 5 cups of good quality chicken stock preferably low sodium
4 stalks of spring onionstrimmed and cut in half
4 - 5 cloves of garlic
2 inch piece of gingersliced
4 red chili or 1 ½ tbsp dried chili flakes (crushed red pepper) omit if you don't like spicy food
¼ cup light soy sauce
¼ cup mirin
6 - 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms stems trimmed and sliced, or cut in half
12 - 13 oz dried ramen noodles or four portions (or four portions of fresh ramen noodles)

Place all the ingredients for the chicken marinade in a bowl. Mix well to coat the chicken. If time permits, allow the chicken to marinate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 425°F, and place an oven rack in the top third of your oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the chicken pieces on the baking sheet, skin side down (or smooth side down), evenly spaced apart. Then place the baking sheet in the preheated oven (upper third).
Let the chicken roast for 15 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, mix the brown sugar and dark soy sauce for the glaze, and start making the ramen.
After 15 minutes, flip the chicken pieces over and spoon the glaze over them. Let the chicken cook for a further 10 - 15 minutes. Then remove from the oven and let them cool down.
Slice the chicken and set aside.

While the caramelized soy chicken is cooking in the oven, make the ramen base.
Place two saucepans on the stove.
As an optional step, you can chop the garlic and ginger. Or you can add them whole or sliced and strain the ramen stock to remove the large pieces of garlic and ginger later.
In one saucepan (Pot 1), place the stock, ginger, garlic, spring onions, chili (if using), soy sauce and mirin. Stir and cover the pot. Let it come to a boil at medium high - high heat. Then lower the heat to medium and let it simmer for 25 minutes. Taste the base and add more soy sauce if needed.
While Pot 1 is simmering, add water to the second pot (Pot 2), and bring it to a boil. Add the dried noodles to the boiling water, and cook according to package directions. I prefer cooking the noodles for ONE MINUTE LESS than what's recommended on the package, as the noodles will continue to cook for a bit longer when served with hot broth. The straight ramen noodles I use here take 3 minutes to cook. Drain the noodles and divide into 4 bowls and set aside.
When the ramen base in Pot 1 has cooked for about 20 - 25 minutes, strain to remove the garlic, ginger, chili and spring onions (or only the spring onions and chili). Add the strained stock back into the pot and add the mushrooms, and let it cook for a further 5 minutes until the mushrooms have softened. The ramen base is now ready.

Make ramen eggs the day before, according to this recipe. OR make regular soft boiled eggs to top your ramen bowl. (Ramen eggs need at least 2 hours to marinate).
To make regular soft boiled eggs - bring a pot of water to a boil. Lower 4 large eggs carefully into the water and cook the eggs for 6 - 6 ½ minutes.
Immediately place the eggs in cool running water or an ice bath for a few minutes. Peel and set aside until ready to serve. This can be done BEFORE you cook the ramen as well.

Wash the greens, and cut them in half, or into sections if necessary (for Shanghai bok choy).
Place the greens in a bowl and drizzle a little soy sauce and sesame oil (and garlic) on top. Toss to combine.
Cover and microwave in 1 minute increments until the greens have softened, but not too wilted. Alternatively, you can heat a non-stick pan with a little oil, and pan fry the greens with soy sauce and garlic for about 2 - 4 minutes.

Evenly divide the hot stock between the four bowls with ramen noodles.
Top with the steamed greens, sliced soy chicken, ramen eggs, spring onions, radishes and other toppings you like.

Bowden Family Cookbook