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
- For the eggs and corn, put 2 pans of water on to boil.
- 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.
- Cook the eggs for exactly 7 minutes, remove to a bowl of iced water.
- Remove the corn cob and drain.
- 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.
- With the eggs cool enough to handle, remove the shells and place in a small bowl with the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar.
- Turn the eggs every now and then to get an even coating/ pattern.
- 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
- Heat the butter and oil in a large wide pan – big enough to cook all the ramen ingredients.
- Add the sliced onion, garlic and salt – gently cook and soften for 5 minutes or until translucent.
- 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.
- Stir in the chilli, pour over the stock and bring to the boil.
- Reduce to a simmer; add the soy sauce and miso. Check for seasoning.
- Add the pak choy.
- Cook the noodles in a pan of boiling water.
- To serve, divide the noodles between to two bowls and paddle the ramen and pak choi over the them.
- Finish with the halved eggs, pickled red onion and charred corn. Drizzle over a little sweet chilli sauce.
JAM x