Caramelised Onion Ramen with soy eggs, charred corn and lime pickled red onion

I first discovered the joys of ramen in Bone Daddies. A heavenly place with plastic bibs and scrunchies to stop you dunking your hair into your ramen. Unfortunately/ fortunately, I no longer live in London so sometimes I make my own. Without the customary 24 hours required to produce a Bone Daddies grade ramen, I have resorted to l’oignon. Thirty minutes later: depth of flavour, umami and dunked hair. The trick for me was the toppings: contrasting texture, heat and flavour profile. I know that this recipe will continue to evolve and I will update this post as and when.

Caramelised Onion Ramen with soy eggs, charred corn and lime pickled red onion.

Serves 2 – well!

caramelised onion ramen
2tbsp butter + 1tbsp olive oil
2 brown onions, peeled and finely sliced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ tsp Himalayan pink salt
1 red bird’s-eye chilli, finely sliced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1½ litre vegetable stock – homemade if pos.
1 tbsp miso
200g ramen noodles
2 pak choy clusters

soy eggs
2 fresh free-range eggs
25ml soy sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp white wine vinegar

charred corn
1 corn cob

lime pickled red onion
1 small red onion
1 lime
pinch of salt

sweet chilli sauce, to serve

For the eggs, corn and pickled onion

1. For the eggs and corn, put 2 pans of water on to boil.
2. Add the corn to one and the eggs to the other. If the eggs are clean – and you don’t break them – you could cook both the corn and the eggs in the same pan.
3. Cook the eggs for exactly 7 minutes, remove to a bowl of iced water.
4. Remove the corn cob and drain.
5. To char the cob place it directly on the gas hob – or a BBQ until nicely charred. Cut down, trying to keep intact sheets of kernels.
6. With the eggs cool enough to handle, remove the shells and place in a small bowl with the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar.
7. Turn the eggs every now and then to get an even coating/ pattern.
8. For the onions, put the sliced red onion in a bowl or Kilner jar, sprinkle with the salt and squeeze over the lime juice. Turn them over to get an even distribution. Remove to the fridge.

For the ramen

1. Heat the butter and oil in a large wide pan – big enough to cook all the ramen ingredients.
2. Add the sliced onion, garlic and salt  – gently cook and soften for 5 minutes or until translucent.
3. Reduce the heat to its lowest level and continue to cook and caramelise the mixture – let onions take on a golden hue and start to break down.
4. Stir in the chilli, pour over the stock and bring to the boil.
5. Reduce to a simmer; add the soy sauce and miso. Check for seasoning.
6. Add the pak choy.
7. Cook the noodles in a pan of boiling water.
8. To serve, divide the noodles between to two bowls and paddle the ramen and pak choi over the them.
9. Finish with the halved eggs, pickled red onion and charred corn. Drizzle over a little sweet chilli sauce.

JAM x