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EGG DROP SHIO RAMEN

// MAKES 4 BOWLS

I have such fond memories of egg drop soup at my favorite Chinese restaurants. It always burns my mouth, too. The first time I had a really great shio ramen it made me think of the viscosity of an egg drop soup. And knowing now what we do about the impact of Chinese cooking methods on ramen, this idea seemed like it made sense. This ramen is egg drop soup with ramen noodles in it and a balance of great umami. You are welcome.

Note

This recipe assumes that you have broth, tare, and fats already made. From there, plan to make all the toppings before assembling bowls. (For more on ramen assembly instructions, see this page.)

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

Large pot for blanching greens

Large bowl for ice bath

Large stockpot with strainer or double boiler with holes

Large pot for broth

Whisk

FOR TOPPINGS:

4 cups shredded Chicken Confit

1 cup thinly sliced leafy greens, such as collard or mustard greens

1 cup diced carrots (½-inch dice)

4 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions (green parts only)

2 Ramen Eggs

FOR RAMEN:

8 tablespoons Shio Tare (best made at least 1 day in advance)

4 tablespoons Ginger Scallion Oil

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 cups chintan broth

2 cups dashi broth

2 large raw eggs beaten together

1 tablespoon cornstarch

18 ounces fresh or 12 ounces dried ramen noodles

  1. Bring the shredded chicken to room temperature.

  2. Blanch the greens and carrots: In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. When the water is boiling, add the greens and carrots and cook for about 30 seconds. Immediately plunge the greens and carrots in the ice water, pat dry, and set aside.

ASSEMBLY:

  1. Fill your biggest pot three-quarters full with water over high heat to bring the water to a boil, ideally with a strainer (or double boiler with holes) that fits into it.

  2. Meanwhile, make sure your serving bowls and all toppings, tare, and fats are laid out for easy access. Mark each serving bowl with 2 tablespoons of the tare, 1 tablespoon of the Ginger Scallion Oil, ½ teaspoon of the sesame oil, and 1 pinch of the pepper.

  3. In a separate large pot affixed with a temperature gauge over medium heat, heat the broth to 190°F (do not boil). Add ¼ cup hot broth to the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to create a slurry and add mix into the broth. Mix the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch with the beaten egg and pour into hot soup through the tynes of a fork, stirring with a whisk in a clockwise motion to create the egg shards in the soup.

  4. Slice the ramen eggs in half and set aside.

  5. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions, minus a few seconds of cooking time, as the noodles will continue to cook in the hot broth.

  6. When the noodles have about 30 seconds of cooking time left, ladle 1½ cups of broth into each bowl. When the noodles are done, pull the strainer containing them out of the hot water, and using chopsticks, divide the noodles as evenly as possible among the serving bowls, working as quickly as you can.

  7. Once the noodles are in, use chopsticks to lightly stir them around, so that broth and fat evenly coat each noodle. Then grab as many noodles as possible, pull them upward out of the broth, and lay them flat across the top, creating a sort of raft on which to lay the toppings.

  8. To each bowl, add 1 cup of the shredded chicken, ½ cup of the mixed greens and carrots, 1 tablespoon of the scallions, and half an egg. Serve immediately.