Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 20 g / ¾ oz kombu
  • 4 corns on the cob*
  • 30-45 ml / 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 shallots, sliced roughly
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
  • 20 g / ¾ oz ginger, peeled and sliced
  • ½ medium hot chilli, sliced roughly (adjust to taste)
  • 360 ml / 1½ cup soy milk (almond or oat milk work too)
  • 30 ml / 2 tbsp shiro / white miso paste (GF if required)
  • coarse sea salt or soy sauce / tamari, to taste
  • 15-30 ml / 1-2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 20 ml / 4 tsp chilli oil or toasted sesame oil
  • 100 g / 3½ oz tender stem broccoli / green beans, per bowl
  • 50 g / 1¾ oz your favourite tofu or tempeh, per bowl
  • noodles (GF if required), 100 g / 3½ oz precooked noodles, per bowl
  • green parts of spring onions / scallions, thinly sliced
  • sesame seeds, to garnish

Instruction

  • Immerse dried shiitake and kombu in 1 litre / 4 cups of cold water, allow them to sit as long as you can - overnight is ideal, but not necessary.
  • Heat up a griddle pan. Brush corn cobs with a little oil and arrange them on a griddle pan. Char on medium heat, turning every 3-5 minutes as necessary until cooked and lightly charred all over.
  • Heat up 1-2 tbsp of oil in a medium pot. Once hot, add shallots, garlic, ginger and chilli (if using). Sauté on low / medium heat, stirring frequent, until lightly charred in places.
  • Meanwhile, shave the kernels off the cobs with a sharp knife. Save the cobs and divide the kernels in half.
  • Add in kombu, shittake, their soaking liquid and shaved corn cobs. Bring to a simmer - remove kombu just before the broth comes to the boil - and carry on simmering for 30 minutes to create a veggie stock.
  • While the stock is simmering, steam your veggies (tenderstem broccoli takes 6-7 minutes, green beans take about 4 minutes), pan-fry / bake the tofu and cook the noodles - they can be cooked in the soup at the end but I prefer to do it separately to have more control.
  • Once the stock is ready, fish out the mushrooms (you can slice them thinly and have in the soup or use in another dish) and corn cobs, pour the rest of it into a blender together with half of the corn kernels, soy milk, miso paste and a good pinch of salt and blitz until super smooth.
  • Return the soup to the pot and warm it up gently. Season with vinegar and more salt (or soy sauce / tamari). Corn is sweet so I didn't feel the need to add any sweet seasoning but if you do, a touch of mirin will work well. If you wanted the ramen extra indulgent, you can whisk in a tablespoon of cashew or almond butter* in at the end.
  • Divide between bowls, serve with cooked ramen noodles, steamed veggies, your favourite tofu and remaining charred corn kernels. Garnish the bowls with chilli (or toasted sesame) oil, spring onions / scallions and crushed sesame seeds.