Vegetarian Ramen

Ingredients

• 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) ((5 g; 2 x 2 inches, 5 x 5 cm per piece))
• 1–2 dried shiitake mushrooms ((3–5 g each))
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
• 1½ tsp ginger ((grated; from a 1-inch, 2.5-cm knob))
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 green onions/scallions ((save the green part for garnish))
• 1 Tbsp roasted sesame oil
• 1½ Tbsp doubanjiang (spicy chili bean paste)
• 1½ Tbsp miso
• 1 Tbsp sake
• 1½ Tbsp soy sauce ((use GF soy sauce for gluten-free))
• 2 cups unsweetened soy milk
• 1 cup Vegan Dashi ((see above for ingredients and below for instructions))
• ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 dash of white pepper powder
• 1 head Shanghai bok choy ((large))
• 2 servings fresh ramen noodles
• 2 Ramen Eggs (Ajitsuke Tamago)
• ½ cup Spicy Bean Sprout Salad
• ¼ cup homemade vegetarian kimchi
• ¼ cup frozen or canned corn ((cooked for frozen corn; drained for canned corn))
• 1 sheet nori (dried laver seaweed) ((divided))

Instructions

• Gather all the ingredients. 
• A typical ramen bowl can hold 1200–1400 ml of liquid. We will prepare 1½ cups (360 ml) of soup broth per bowl, which should be more than enough. If you’re using bigger bowls, you may need to prepare extra soup.
• Soak 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) and 1–2 dried shiitake mushrooms in 1 cup water for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the ramen ingredients. Tip: Use less mushroom if they are thick and large, and use more if they are flat and small. I set a small mixing bowl on top to make sure the dried shiitake mushroom is completely submerged in the water.
• After 30 minutes, transfer this cold brew vegan dashi (the liquid, kombu, and shiitake) to a medium saucepan.
• Slowly bring the cold brew dashi to a near boil over low heat; this slow extraction will help enhance the dashi flavor. Right before the liquid reaches a boil, remove the kombu and shiitake mushroom from the dashi (you can repurpose them; see the tip in a later step). Turn off the heat. Tip: If you leave the kombu in the pot, the dashi will become slimy and bitter.
• Transfer the vegan dashi to a measuring cup. Make sure you have 1 cup of dashi; if not, add water.
• Tip: You can use the spent kombu to make Simmered Kombu (Kombu Tsukudani) and Homemade Furikake (Rice Seasoning). Cut off the stem of the spent shiitake mushroom and use the cap just as you would a fresh shiitake mushroom.
• Prepare a big pot of water for cooking the bok choy and noodles. Slowly bring it to a boil on medium-low heat while you prepare all the ingredients.
• Grind and crush 2 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds in a Japanese mortar and pestle (suribachi and surikogi).
• Grate the ginger (I use a ceramic grater). Reserve 1½ tsp ginger (grated, with juice). If you’re unsure how much ginger flavor you’d like, start with less and add more later.
• Next, mince or press 2 cloves garlic (I use a garlic press).
• Separate the green and white parts of 2 green onions/scallions. Cut the white part (for the soup broth) into thin rounds.
• Then, cut the green part (for the garnish) into thin rounds. Keep them in separate bowls.
• Cut 1 head Shanghai bok choy into quarters lengthwise and rinse clean under water. Debris tends to hide between the layers, so rinse them thoroughly.
• Set a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 1 Tbsp roasted sesame oil, the minced garlic, the grated ginger, and the white part of the green onions/scallions. Cook until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes. Tip: Make sure not to burn the aromatics.
• Add 1½ Tbsp doubanjiang (spicy chili bean paste) and 1½ Tbsp miso to the saucepan. Stir constantly so that they don’t burn. Tip: Try different miso types to create a slightly different flavor for the soup broth. For information on doubanjiang substitution, see the blog post.
• Next, add 1 Tbsp sake and use a wooden spatula to stir and release the bits of the sauce attached to the bottom of the saucepan.
• Add the ground sesame seeds and 1½ Tbsp soy sauce and mix it all together.
• Gradually add 2 cups unsweetened soy milk, stirring constantly and making sure to dissolve the doubanjiang and miso.
• Then, add 1 cup Vegan Dashi.
• Taste the soup now and adjust the seasoning with ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and 1 dash of white pepper powder, to taste. Don‘t be shy about adding salt because the broth will taste less salty after you add the noodles. Turn off the heat, cover with a lid, and set aside.
• Prepare a medium bowl of cold water and set aside. In the big pot of boiling water, add the bok choy, stem end first, and cook it for 2 minutes. When the bottom end is tender, turn off the heat.
• Without draining the water, remove the blanched boy choy from the pot and transfer it to the bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Keep the hot water in the big pot to cook the noodles in the next step. Once the bok choy is cool enough to handle, squeeze the water out and set aside.
• Now, it‘s time to reheat the soup broth until it‘s piping hot, but don‘t let it overboil because it may curdle. Before cooking the fresh noodles, loosen them up with your hands.
• Turn the heat back on for the big pot of water and bring it to a boil again. Once boiling, add 2 servings fresh ramen noodles and cook according to the package instructions. While cooking, stir and separate the noodles with chopsticks. Here, I cook the noodles inside a big noodle strainer (I got it in Japan) that I’ve set inside the pot.
• When the noodles are done cooking, drain them well in a strainer, shaking it a few times to drain the water thoroughly (otherwise it will dilute the soup broth). Transfer the noodles to the individual ramen bowls.
• Divide and pour the piping-hot soup broth with seasonings over the noodles. Divide and add the prepared toppings—2 Ramen Eggs (Ajitsuke Tamago) sliced lengthwise, ½ cup Spicy Bean Sprout Salad, ¼ cup homemade vegetarian kimchi, ¼ cup frozen or canned corn, and 1 sheet nori (dried laver seaweed)—to the bowls. Garnish with the bok choy and the chopped green onions.
• You can keep the soup broth in the refrigerator for 3 days. Cook the noodles right before serving.