味噌ラーメン
Miso Ramen
Both red and white miso are used in this soup, with the white miso giving this dish a sweet flavour. The wakame, which is edible seaweed, also adds a subtle sweet flavour to soups and salads and can be found in Asian food stores.
SERVES 4 AS A LIGHT MEAL
2 teaspoons finely chopped dried wakame pieces
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh ramen noodles
200 g (7 oz) silken firm tofu, cut into 1.5 cm (5/8 in) cubes
2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced on the diagonal
1.5 litres (52 fl oz/6 cups) dashi II (here)
2 tablespoons red miso
1 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon mirin
3 teaspoons Japanese soy sauce
Soak the wakame in cold water for 5 minutes, or until rehydrated and glossy but not mushy. Drain well and set aside.
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil, add the noodles and separate with chopsticks. Cook for 1–2 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and rinse under cold water, gently rubbing the noodles to remove any excess starch. Divide the noodles among four deep, warmed bowls. Top with the cubes of tofu and sliced spring onion.
Meanwhile, bring the dashi to the boil in a large saucepan, then reduce to a simmer.
Combine the red and white miso with 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) of the dashi stock in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Return the miso mixture to the saucepan and stir until combined. Allow the liquid to come just to the boil, then add the mirin, soy sauce and wakame and gently heat for 1 minute. Stir, then ladle the broth over the noodles, tofu and spring onion and serve immediately.
