veggie ramen from bon appetit

  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbsp. black or white sesame seeds
  • 1 Tbsp. gochugaru (coarse Korean red pepper powder) or 1½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 scallions
  • 1 2″ piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 4×3″ piece dried kombu
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
  • 4 baby bok choy (about 12 oz. total), quartered lengthwise
  • 4 5-oz. packages fresh ramen noodles
  • Jammy eggs, toasted nori sheets, and/or cilantro (for serving; optional)
  • Fresh ramen noodles can be found at Asian markets and some grocery stores. We like Sun Noodle brand.
  • Cook garlic and ¼ cup oil in a medium pot over medium heat, stirring often, until garlic is beginning to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in sesame seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a small bowl and stir in gochugaru; season with salt. Set garlic oil aside. Wipe out pot and set aside.
  • Trim dark green parts from scallions and thinly slice; set aside for serving. Coarsely chop white and pale green parts. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil in reserved pot over medium-high. Cook chopped scallions and ginger, stirring often, until scallions are charred in spots, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to stick to the bottom of pot and darkens slightly, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and kombu, then stir in 5 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let sit until mushrooms soften, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard kombu.
  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer solids to a blender. Add a ladleful or 2 of broth to blender and purée until smooth. Stir purée back into broth in pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add butter a piece at a time, whisking to combine after each addition before adding more. Stir in soy sauce; season with salt. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add bok choy and cook until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bok choy to a plate. Return water to a boil and cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and divide among bowls.
  • To serve, ladle broth over noodles, then top with bok choy and reserved garlic oil. Top with eggs, nori, and cilantro if desired.

DASHI (JAPANESE SEA STOCK)

  • download6 cups cold water
  • 1 oz (30 grams) kombu (dried kelp), about 20 square inches
  • 2 (5-gram) packages katsuo bushi (dried bonito flakes), about 1 cup

Bring cold water and kombu just to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat and remove kombu (saving it for pickled Napa cabbage ). Sprinkle katsuo bushi over liquid; let stand 3 minutes and, if necessary, stir to make katsuo bushi sink. Pour through a cheesecloth-lined sieve or a coffee filter into a bowl. Reserve katsuo bushi for rice with soy-glazed bonito flakes and sesame seeds .

cooks’ notes:• If making stock for miso soup it is not necessary to save the kombu or katsuo bushi. • Stock keeps 4 days. Cool, uncovered, before chilling, covered.