Vegan Umami Ramen

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Ingredients

Cooking oil – adjust depending on the depth you like in your broth
1 medium shallot, very finely minced
2 tbsp garlic, minced
2 tsp ginger, minced
3 dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms sliced very thinly
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp cooking sake
3 tbsp Urban Forager Umami Broth Concentrate
2 cups water
2 bunches or 180g dried ramen noodles

Toppings

200 g Firm tofu 0.5cm slices
2 tbsp Urban Forager Nashi Chutney – take out the cardamom pods. If you don’t have this, you can use any other chutney but with added 2-3 tsp of minced ginger
2 tbsp soy sauce
Chili flakes (optional)
1 small bunch bok choy, washed and end cut off
2-3 tsp Chili oil (store bought or homemade)
1 spring onion chopped – greens and whites separated

Method

Heat a large pot of boiling water
Blanch the bok choy in this pot for about 2 minutes. Place in ice bath to shock it and to stop it cooking. Set aside and leave the hot water for the noodles.
Heat a fry pan on medium heat, add oil and bring up to temperature
Pan fry sliced tofu until crispy on the outside
Mix Urban Forager Nashi Chutney, soy sauce, and chili flakes (to taste) together. Brush mixture on the outside of the tofu until evenly coated and sticky. Set aside.
Now for the broth, in a medium saucepan, add cooking oil and set to medium heat. Adjust oil to your own liking, I used about 1 tbs here.
Saute shallot until soft and transparent
Add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant
If you are using dried shiitake mushrooms, re-hydrate in hot water. Keep this mushroom broth to add to, it adds a nice umami to the broth
Add shiitake and its mushroom broth to the pan
Add Urban Forager Umami Broth Concentrate and create a paste with the aromatics
Add soy sauce, mirin, sake and stir until the paste has heated up and started to slightly sizzle
Deglaze the pan with water. Taste and adjust water content depending on how salty you like the broth. Note: ramen is traditionally very salty and oily.
Simmer on low heat, do not let it boil. While simmering, add the whites of your spring onion to the broth. This should cook through while you are cooking your noodles.
In the same saucepan you blanched the bok choy, cook the ramen noodles per packet instructions, or a minute less if you like it harder.
Once noodles are ready, strain and serve into bowls.
Ladle in the broth until it just covers the noodles
Place the bok choi, sweet soy tofu, the greens of spring onions, chili oil, and any other desired topping. Enjoy!