Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • ½ pound stemmed green beans
  • 4 large eggs
  • optional (omit for vegan preparation)
  • 4 tablespoons safflower
  • olive or avocado oil
  • ¾ pound firm tofu
  • cut into ¼-inch-thick slabs
  • then 1 ½-inch squares
  • pat dry
  • Salt and pepper
  • Black sesame seeds
  • optional
  • 1 pound mixed mushrooms
  • hen-of-the-woods or maitake
  • pulled into bite-sized pieces
  • and shiitakes
  • stemmed and sliced
  • 2 bunches scallions
  • about 12
  • whites and greens separated
  • sliced on bias
  • 2 inches fresh ginger root
  • cut into thin 1-inch matchsticks
  • 1 bulb black garlic
  • peeled and pasted (or 1 bulb roasted garlic —roast in foil 40 minutes at 400˚F)
  • pasted)
  • 3 to 4 cups shredded Napa cabbage or dark greens
  • such as kale or chard
  • 6 cups vegetables stock
  • 2 tablespoons Mirin or sake
  • 2 tablespoons Ponzu sauce
  • or 1 small lime
  • juiced
  • 3 tablespoons black garlic shoyu
  • shoyu or soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 12 to 16 ounces ramen or spaghetti
  • Matchsticks of watermelon radish
  • radish or Daikon
  • Pickled ginger
  • Chili oil or sauce
  • to pass

Instruction

  • Boil water and blanch green beans, cold shock, split lengthwise, and reserve
  • Cover eggs with cold water, bring to boil, cover and let stand 7 minutes
  • Drain eggs, crack shells and cool in ice water, then peel
  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in small frying pan, cast iron or nonstick, over medium-high heat, add tofu and season with salt and pepper, brown 2-3 minutes on each side and top with sesame seeds
  • Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat and add remaining oil, 2 turns of the pan, brown mushrooms until crispy then season with salt and pepper and add whites of scallions, fresh ginger and garlic
  • Add the stock and bring to a boil, then wilt in greens of choice and add Mirin, ponzu, shoyu and sesame oil, simmer at low boil until ready to serve
  • Bring water to boil for noodles
  • Cook to package directions
  • Fill bowls with ramen, top with soup, arrange green beans, halved eggs, radishes, pickled ginger and remaining scallion greens on soup and serve
  • Pass with chili oil or sauce