If you’re a Japanese cuisine enthusiast, then you’ve probably had a fair share of ramen throughout the years. But have you ever tried making it yourself? If not, don’t worry – delicious homemade ramen can be prepared quickly and easily.
Here is a simple six-steps recipe to prepare the best ramen:
- Prepare the vegetables,
- Cook chicken breasts,
- Make the broth,
- Boil the eggs,
- Prepare the noodles,
- Serve.
Of course, you may need more information about each step mentioned above, so I’ve prepared detailed instructions. There is no way you’ll make a mistake – all you have to do is follow this recipe and enjoy this fantastic dish.
What You’re Going To Need
Flavorful ramen soup can be made from many different ingredients. However, we decided to show you a recipe that is inspired by a traditional Japanese dish. For one serving, you’re going to need:
- Chicken breasts – 2,
- Unsalted butter – 1 tbsp,
- Fresh ginger – 2 tsp,
- Fresh garlic – 1 tbsp,
- Sesame or vegetable oil – 2 tsp
- Soy sauce – 3 tbsp,
- Mirin – 2 tbsp,
- Chicken stock – 4 cups,
- Dried shiitake mushrooms – 1 oz (can be replaced with ½ cup of fresh shiitake mushrooms),
- Sea salt and pepper – to taste,
- Large eggs – 2,
- Scallions – ½ cup,
- Dried instant ramen noodles – 3 packs,
- Fresh chili or jalapeño slices (optional – use them if you want to make ramen spicy).
You’ll also need to have a few kitchen utensils ready. Ensure you have pots by your side in which you’ll make the broth and the noodles and boil the eggs. Additionally, you’ll also need an oven-safe skillet for cooking and roasting the chicken.
Step 1 – Prepare the Vegetables
To avoid rushing everything and making mistakes when you start cooking, prepare the vegetables first. Mince fresh ginger and garlic, chop scallions and chili or jalapeño, and set them on the side until they are needed again.
Step 2 – Roast the chicken
When buying chicken, ask the butcher to leave the skin but remove the rib bone. You can also use bone-in chicken breast. However, in that case, you need to roast the meat for five to ten minutes more.
Before you start cooking, preheat the oven to 375℉. While you’re waiting, season the chicken with pepper and salt. Although this part should be to your taste, keep in mind that this recipe implies generous seasoning.
After seasoning, start melting the unsalted butter on medium heat – ensure to use an oven-safe skillet for this. When the butter is melted, place chicken breast into the skillet with the skin side facing down.
Cook it for five to seven minutes or until the skin gets a nice, golden brown color. Then, cook the other side of the chicken for another four to five minutes. The other side, too, needs to become golden.
Put the skillet into the oven and roast the chicken breast for about fifteen to twenty minutes. When it’s done, transfer the meat from the oven to the plate and cover it with foil to stay warm. Remove the foil only when it’s serving time.
Instead of Chicken, You Can Choose to Prepare a Meal With Pork
If you love pork but want to make a truly traditional dish, note it will go exceptionally with other ramen ingredients. After all, miso ramen with pork is probably the most famous ramen dish because it’s the type of ramen Naruto eats.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Season the pork tenderloin with the mixture of pepper, salt, garlic, and oil, and then place it on a baking tray. Roast the meat for around twenty-five minutes. When it’s done, cover it for ten minutes, and then proceed with slicing.
Step 3 – Make the Broth
The first thing you need to do is heat the oil. You can use sesame oil, which is very prevalent in Japanese cuisine, or go with other vegetable oil you already have in your home.
When the oil starts shimmering, add minced ginger and garlic. Cook them until they soften, and then add mirin and soy sauce. Stir until ingredients are combined and cook for one additional minute.
Add the chicken stock and let it boil. After it does, reduce the temperature, remove the lid and let it simmer. After five minutes, add shitake mushroom and simmer for another ten minutes. Add sea salt as seasoning.
Step 4 – Boil the Eggs
Fill a pot with water and heat it until it starts to boil. Get the eggs from the fridge and place them gently into the water. Cook egg ramen on low heat for approximately seven or eight minutes, depending on whether you want runny or set-up yolk.
While eggs simmer, prepare a large bowl with cold water. After the time for simmering ends, stop them from cooking further by placing them into that bowl. Wait around five minutes, and then ensure they aren’t too hot to handle. Peel the shell carefully and slice the eggs in half. Place them on a plate and set them aside until serving time.
Step 5 – Prepare the Instant Noodles
Heat the pot with water until boiling, and then add the ramen noodles. Cook them for two to three minutes or until they soften, and place them into the bowl.
Step 6 – It’s Serving Time!
Slice chicken breasts into smaller pieces – be certain they are thin enough. Add broth and chicken to the bowls with noodles. Top that mixture with the egg, scallions, and chili or jalapeño (ignore the last ingredient if you want to make ramen less spicy) and serve right away. That is it – your dish is ready! Bon appetit!
Final Thoughts
Broth base, shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, soft-boiled eggs, ginger, and other ingredients are all combined to create an amazing Japanese taste. The best part – you can make this delicious dish in less than an hour, even if you don’t have any previous experience.
It’s true that it takes years to master the art of making authentic Japanese ramen – but until you do, this recipe is one of the best ways to enjoy truly flavorful ramen noodles in the comfort of your home.