SPICY MISO RAMEN-EXPRESS

SPICY MISO RAMEN-EXPRESS

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I set out to take the first post of 2014 easy… I did.  I thought perhaps a harmless little breakfast pancake can be nice, glistening syrup under the hopeful morning light that symbolizes a new start within me…  Or, perhaps, a statement-recipe like a creme brûlée and ham french toasts-sandwich that’s simple, but flaunting and strange enough to revitalize this blog’s otherwise-subtle individuality in the year to come…  Or better yet, perhaps a complete slacker-post on a summary of everything that could and has gone wrong in my kitchen in 2013… kinda hey~ here’s a fine collection of things you probably don’t wanna eat but don’t I sound really cute talking about it?

But instead, this came out…  And believe me, although it may not look remotely that way, this is taking-it-easy, well… as far as Japanese ramen goes.

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Before you check out and mark this url as the blog on everything you would never wanna make in your own home, you are… probably half-right but NOT on this particular example.  Because I agree with you!  Only insane, impractical, pretentious human beings with no job, no kid, no real-life obligations whatsoever could have the time and energy to even fondle with the idea of making a proper bowl of Japanese ramen in their own kitchen.  Yes.  That’s not me you.  Who’s got the kind of freaking zen to spend 24 hours babysitting a pot of stock to milky-death, and prepare every single other gazillion components individually on the side to have them come together at last as a harmonic unison that’d be gone in 15 min?

Yeah, not me you.  I get that.

So this is not that, meaning a proper bowl of Japanese ramen.  No.  I’m not showing you a way in.  In fact, I’m talking about a way out, a way out of bleeding sweat and tears since Tuesday just so you can have a bowl of noodles to eat on Sunday.  A way to fake a bowl of noodle that looks, and smells, and perhaps even tastes like a proper bowl of ramen in a fraction of time.

This way out, in specific, is called soy milk.

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No, I didn’t come up with that.  But I would love to thank the dude who did, this dude who used soy milk in his chicken soup that inspired me to replicate… only if I can remember his url from 5 years ago…  Seriously, if you are that dude, please enter your website       here       so I can pay my gratitude.  Because you rock, dude.  This technique works brilliantly, as it adds color, richness, depth and flavour to the otherwise clear and obviously labour-free stock.  It fakes the otherwise God-damn-unattainable milkiness that’s so freaking paramount in tonkotsu/pork bone-based ramen, without out-of-sync flavour-profile whereas say, cream, would just be completely wrong.  And speaking of flavour, why not soy the shit out of it.  A classic ramen flavour by mixing 2 different miso pastes (soy.) that’s spiced up with sichuan douban chili paste (more soy!!), plus have you heard?  Minced pork is lazy fucker’s way to meat.

Nirvanically Good.  Nirvanic.  Not to mention that it was put together in about 3 hours, with most of the time going into 2 dangling eggs (perfectly soft-boiled if I may point out) sitting quietly in soy sauce to acquire enough colour… hardly any work to speak of.

Hell yeah it’s cheating.  You cheat.  I cheat.  Everybody cheats.  I mean it is after all, the beginning of a new year.  So let’s take it easy.

PS: Thanks to reader, Seika, the dude is found:  http://norecipes.com/blog/chicken-ramen-recipe/

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*****

OK I know I know… you might be thinking WTF, Mandy.. What’s up with the super long recipes.  I thought you said this is supposed to be express?  IT IS, I SWEAR!  The ingredient list may look misleadingly long but the preparation is super easy!  Guaranteed success as long as you follow a couple of the notes below… shhhh… just a couple:

It’s important that you use unsalted, or minimally salted stock for this recipe.  I always store homemade, unsalted chicken/pork stock in the freezer as it gives me total control of the seasoning in the final dishes.  Whether you are using homemade or store-bought, if your stock already has a prominent saltiness to it, you’ll have to reduce the amount of spicy miso paste to accommodate which will reduce the miso-flavour in your soup.  You’d be trading flavours with salt, see?

The type of soy milk may also make a difference.  I prefer Asian-style unsweetened soy milk which tends to carry a stronger “tofu/soy bean” taste, but if that’s unavailable, American brands soy milk will do, too.  Just make sure it isn’t sweetened, or flavoured with vanilla or etc.

Ingredients:

  • Spicy miso paste: (enough for at least 8 servings)
  • shoyu soft-boiled eggs:
    • 4 large free-range eggs
    • 3 tbsp of soy sauce
    • 2 tbsp of dark brown sugar
    • 1 tbsp of water
  • Garlic and togarashi oil:

All of the above can be made beforehand and kept in the fridge until needed.

To make the spicy miso paste:  Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smoothly pureed.  You may need to stop and scrape the blender a few times to get it going in the beginning.  Transfer the mixture into a pot and set over medium heat.  Bring to a low simmer and keep cooking/stirring for another 5 min.  Let it cool completely and store in an air-tight container in the fridge until needed.

To make the shoyu soft-boiled eggs:  Gently place the eggs in a small pot and fill it with water until the eggs are covered by 1″.  Add a generous pinch of salt (not listed in the ingredient-list because it’s more of a superstition for easy-peeling than anything…) and bring the water to a bare simmer on medium-high heat, then immediately lower the heat down to low (only enough heat to keep it at a bare simmer/or if you want to be anal, 212ºF/100ºC).  The second the water reached the right temperature, set the timer at 4:30 min.  Gently move the eggs around a few times during cooking.  Once the timer goes off, immediately transfer the eggs into cold water and leave them to cool completely.

Combine soy sauce, dark brown sugar and water in a small sauce pot.  Warm up the mixture just enough to melt the sugar, then set aside.  Peel the eggs then submerge them in the soy sauce-mixture.  Turning them occasionally while marinating for 2~3 hours.

To make the garlic and togarashi oil:  Combine minced shallots, minced garlic, sesame seeds, salt and vegetable oil in a small pot and set over low heat.  Slowly cook/stir until the garlics are crispy and lightly browned, approx 5~6 min.  Turn off the heat and add the Japanese chili powder/togarashi.  Give the mixture a stir and let it sit for a few hours or overnight.

  • Spicy miso ramen: (for 2 servings)
    • 220 grams of fatty ground pork
    • 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil
    • 1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 tbsp of dried shitake mushrooms
    • 2 cups (475 grams) of unsalted chicken or pork stock
    • 1 cup (227 grams) of unsweetened, unflavoured soy milk (Asian brands preferred but if unavailable, this will do, too)
    • 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup of spicy miso paste
    • 2 servings of fresh ramen noodles
    • 4 tbsp of finely diced scallions
    • 1 sheet of nori/Japanese sushi seaweed, cut into rectangular sheets

To make the spicy miso ramen:  Rinse the dried shitake mushrooms to get rid of any sand/dirt.  Finely chop them and set aside (without soaking).

In a large soup pot, heat up 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil on high heat and start browning the fatty ground pork with ground black pepper.  Once the pork has broken up, browned, and released its fat, add 1/4 cup of the spicy miso paste and cook for another min until fragrant.  Add the chopped shitake, unsalted stock and unsweetened soy milk and bring to a simmer.  Place 1/2 cup spicy miso paste on top of a very fine sieve.  Lower the sieve half-way into the simmering soup and use a spoon to slowly dissolve the paste into the soup (it may seem very thick and troublesome in the beginning but be patient, it’ll dissolve eventually).  You’d be surprised at how much “solids” within the paste will remain on top of the sieve, which if dumped directly into the soup, will make the soup very thick and “sauce-like”.

Discard the “solids” in the sieve and let the soup simmer for another 5 min.  If the soup tastes quite salty at this point, that is correct.  It’s Japanese ramen…  It is salty.

Cook the fresh ramen noodles according to package instructions, and drain well.  Divide the noodles into two large bowl and ladle the soup on top (you may have a bit more than needed).  For each serving, place 1 shoyu egg (cut into half), 2 tbsp of finely diced scallions, 3 rectangular nori sheets, and 2 tsp of garlic and togarashi oil.

Slurp away.

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113 Comments
  • Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar

    January 4, 2014 at 11:35 PM Reply

    Baahhhhh I want this so bad! But it definitely does look hard to make…mostly because I need to find those ingredients. BUT! I pinned it, and when I do find the ingredients this all mine!! Happy 2014!

  • Roddie

    January 5, 2014 at 1:54 AM Reply

    I’m going to assume that using a non-lean ground beef instead of pork for the ramen portion will be an acceptable alternative, right? Looking forward to trying this, if only for the process!

    • Mandy L.

      January 5, 2014 at 2:33 AM Reply

      Roadie, well you will just not have any delicious pork fat :)

  • Todd @ HonestlyYUM

    January 5, 2014 at 2:39 AM Reply

    Wowowow Mandy…mind blown. I NEED some spicy miso in my life.

  • Seika

    January 5, 2014 at 6:11 AM Reply

    This looks delicious… Read “Ivan Ramen” and wanted to try, but it really is just too. much. work.

    Also, your soy milk + chicken broth = http://norecipes.com/blog/chicken-ramen-recipe/

    • Mandy L.

      January 5, 2014 at 2:26 PM Reply

      Seika, thank you!!! You found the dude!

  • Two Red Bowls

    January 5, 2014 at 6:18 AM Reply

    Mandy, you. are. a. genius. I can’t WAIT to try this!!! The next time I can pick up some miso paste I’m going to be wallowing in ramen.

  • Dina

    January 5, 2014 at 9:59 AM Reply

    it looks amazing! i want to make ramen at home too.

  • Claire

    January 5, 2014 at 12:18 PM Reply

    This looks amazing – I’m definitely going to try it! For the soft-boiled eggs, how do you recommend storing them in the fridge? I’m guessing the flavor will get too strong if they’re stored in the marinade, so drained and in an airtight container?

    • Mandy L.

      January 5, 2014 at 2:25 PM Reply

      Claire, if you want to store it in the fridge for a few days, I would suggest diluting the marinate with water (I’m thinking… 2 more tbsp) to make it less salty, and store the eggs submerged in the marinate any ways (to prevent drying).

  • Becky Swinn

    January 5, 2014 at 9:30 PM Reply

    Oh my days, so glad I found this site/blog/whatever it is. You are hilarious! I’m not really the kind of person you’re marketing this post to ( I have no job, no kid, no real-life obligations YET) but would definitely not bother making ramen the proper way. The eggs are beautiful, I want to eat it all now! Lamentably, the family hates the way I pack the cupboards with exotic ingredients, so will have to wait for a moment where it’s sufficiently empty for me to go out and buy the miso pastes, dashi, mirin, seaweed and seven spice. Until then, I’ll drool. |Visiting from http://sugarandtwocents.blogspot.co.uk

  • mercywave

    January 6, 2014 at 1:56 PM Reply

    Getting a ramen recipe is like breaking into a Swiss bank account. Absolutely a covert operation. Fantastic.
    Love your blog.
    Here is my love: Wugen Chan Wan. No one has a recipe on line. SAD.
    Please help!

    • Mandy L.

      January 6, 2014 at 2:39 PM Reply

      Mercywave, I’m not sure I understand it! Wugen Chan Wan.. can you describe it a little for me?

      • Mandy L.

        January 6, 2014 at 2:50 PM Reply

        Oh wait! My husband cracked it! Is it spicy stew of pig’s blood and intestines? OH please~ mah faaavourite~~! Will do, mercywave. Will do.

  • Sophie

    January 7, 2014 at 2:56 AM Reply

    This is amazing! Making it!! I often will read “whoever’s” latest ramen short-cut method, and there are pros and cons to most, but this, this is legit. I made pho in two days, this is going to be a sinch! Thanks Mandy!

  • Linda

    January 8, 2014 at 6:36 AM Reply

    Alright, admission time: I spent 12 hours nursing a pot of tonkotsu broth a few weeks ago. I also decided to make chashu pork and shoyu eggs while I was at it because I wanted to eat the PERFECT bowl of ramen for dinner. I don’t think it was worth it! Instead, I’d rather hop over to Ippudo and let them do all the work. OR make this, which looks amazing! (Your noodle dishes always do!) I will have to attempt this soon, because, come to think of it, the ‘hop’ over to Ippudo in the weather we’ve been having (9 degrees F today) would be very painful indeed.

    • Mandy L.

      January 8, 2014 at 3:20 PM Reply

      Linda, hahaaa I feel you! And just quietly between the two of us… the probable reason why homemade tonkotsu stock doesn’t live up to restaurants…. shhhhhh….. it’s MSG….

  • Sans

    January 9, 2014 at 10:04 PM Reply

    Hha, loved to read that complete slacker-post, maybe kind of your retrospective to 2013, it would be interesting read indeed, as always. haaa

  • Shannon

    January 13, 2014 at 12:13 PM Reply

    This was my first time making ramen. In fact, believe it or not, my first time *eating* ramen at all. It was absolutely wonderful and you’re quite right – fairly simple, long ingredient list aside. Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I’m glad the spicy miso paste is enough for two batches because we can’t wait to make it again!

    • Mandy L.

      January 13, 2014 at 7:03 PM Reply

      Shannon, good job!! Glad you liked it.

  • EVA

    January 24, 2014 at 1:02 PM Reply

    YOU MAKE ME SOO HUNGRY EVERY TIME I READY YOUR BLOG! I LOVE YOUR FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY AND YOUR COMPOSITION! :D

  • PT

    January 29, 2014 at 4:04 AM Reply

    Great recipes! Which brand are the sauce pots you have in the above pictures?

    • Mandy L.

      January 29, 2014 at 2:22 PM Reply

      PT, the red one? it was le creuset.

  • Sarah @ The Woks of Life

    February 1, 2014 at 3:59 PM Reply

    ArghhhH!!!!!! This looks so amazing. Those eggs look absolutely perfect.

  • Coco

    February 19, 2014 at 2:24 AM Reply

    OMG Mandy! Your recipe is AMAZING!!!
    I just made this ramen (I also made the noodles from starch) for lunch! I can’t believe how delicious it tastes!
    Thank you so much!!!

  • Kerstin

    February 26, 2014 at 2:34 AM Reply

    I tried this recipe last night and i have to say, it turned out perfectly. Since we moved away from Japan I have been trying to recreate the spicy miso ramen from our favorite Ramenshop…. this one was close. Thank you so much for sharing.

  • Rosanne Z

    March 12, 2014 at 4:56 AM Reply

    Thank you, thank you, thank you. I still cannot believe how delicious that was!

  • steve

    April 17, 2014 at 2:09 AM Reply

    Thank you for the recipe! I’ll try it one day soon.that’s my favorite ramen noodle soup. Every time that I go to Ajisen noodle shop here in Irvine,CA ,I always order either the Spicy pork ramen or the Volcano ramen. I think it’s the same thing,but the Volcano is just spicier.

  • Joseph Lozada

    April 27, 2014 at 11:55 AM Reply

    I just made this dish….glad I took your advise and made the spicy miso paste, shoyu soft boiled eggs and garlic tongarishi oil the day before and just let it sit and marinate, the 2nd half of dish the next day came together much easier this way. Total satisfaction and enjoyment of this Spicy Miso Ramen! Domo Arigato!

  • Jay del Corro

    August 20, 2014 at 12:16 PM Reply

    Thanks for including weights in the recipes!

  • Helen

    December 19, 2014 at 2:00 AM Reply

    this soup was SO good! I liked how all the lengthy steps made a couple batches worth, so I could just whip up the soup quickly for leftovers. Also, thanks for introducing me to new ingredients and flavored to cook with! I used flaked bonito seasoning instead of the dashi crystals that had MSG. I look forward to looking through your other posts!

  • Ginger chef ...not the root

    January 4, 2015 at 8:53 AM Reply

    Made this several times with my own broth. A beef-pork broth is so rich and yummy…though making your own chicken-pork broth is the best way to go. The hardest part is finding the perfect fresh noodles. Any tips on making your own ramen noodles?

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      January 4, 2015 at 5:18 PM Reply

      Ginger chef: hahaaa not yet I’m afraid. Someday maybe… some desperate days… Have you tried using FRESH spaghetti? I’ve always thought they feel quite similar but never tried.

  • Morgan Berrington

    February 23, 2015 at 1:23 PM Reply

    Made this tonight it was awesome! I could not find any sichuan douban chili paste so I substituted with Toban Djan (Lee Kum Kee), not sure if that is even close but it worked out well. Also ran out of tahini! Substituted the mirin with some sake. I guess I ran out of a bunch of things. Loved adding the soymilk to the broth it was an awesome idea.

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      February 23, 2015 at 1:29 PM Reply

      Morgan, so happy it worked out for you!! Lee Kum Kee’s Toban Djan (if the spicy kind) is a close substitute.

  • Lily

    February 28, 2015 at 1:54 PM Reply

    My ramen cheat is bacon. I throw a couple of pieces in the oven and bake it until all the fat comes out. Then I pour it in my miso/soy/bone broth base. It’s ALMOST like pork bone broth. Gives it that rich oily smoky pork taste.

  • Karishma

    March 6, 2015 at 5:37 AM Reply

    I made this a couple of weeks ago, and it was so delicious! My boyfriend didn’t like it that much, but I think he just doesn’t like the creamier ramen broths. Thanks so much for the recipe!

  • Daisy

    March 10, 2015 at 1:52 AM Reply

    Hi Mandy, as you mentioned in the recipe that the spicy miso paste yields eight portions. So how am i suppose to store the rest? How many days will they last in refrigerator? Is it possible to keep them in freezer for later use? Thanks!

  • Ellie

    March 27, 2015 at 3:58 AM Reply

    Trying this tonight! Thanks for sharing!

  • Robert Yates

    April 1, 2015 at 3:05 AM Reply

    Going to try this recipe soon, was curios where you found your wooden cutlery?

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      April 1, 2015 at 12:02 PM Reply

      Robert, I bought them in China. But I’m sure you can find it online somewhere :)

  • Jennifer

    April 2, 2015 at 2:10 AM Reply

    Just tried making this last night and it was a hit! Nice ramen hack, my husband was very impressed.

  • Madison

    April 11, 2015 at 9:38 PM Reply

    On the noodle comment – I have made
    This several times, and made it for friends and family of non-miso/Japanese cooking, to great praise! I’ve found my favorite noodle is a tofu noodle in a watered bag…its approved by Hungry Girl food network channel! It’s called Tofu Shirataki.

  • Katy Love

    April 19, 2015 at 8:43 AM Reply

    Love this miso ramen recipe too, as much as the Vampire slayer ramen. Though I must admit I did it again. I didn’t read the recipe correctly and used regular douban sauce instead of the chili douban sauce. Should I blame it on my 2 year old toddler running around asking me to blow bubbles for her while sorting thru the ingredients? Nah. I’m a grown woman. I realized my mistake once I tasted it and discovered it non-spicy. Shame. Till next time. Thanks for another noodle staple. It’s on top of the list next to Dan Dan mien, which I keep in tiny individual portions in the freezer.

  • Anwella

    April 29, 2015 at 12:26 PM Reply

    Thanks for the recipe! Just cooked it and its absolutely delicious!

  • Gustavo Fernandes de Farias

    May 14, 2015 at 1:28 AM Reply

    Whats amazing yolk colour of this egg, Anybody konws the name and regional of farmer producer?

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      May 14, 2015 at 12:38 PM Reply

      Gustavo, the eggs are from a Japanese manufacture, which from my experience, are generally much yellower than normal eggs. I believe they add something to the feeds (nothing bad of course) to obtain that color. If there’s a japanese market around where you live, that’s the first place I would try looking :)

  • Kafka

    July 8, 2015 at 9:08 AM Reply

    Thanks for the awesome recipe! Don’t usually post comments but felt this was well deserved. Flavor of the broth was pretty close to the Spicy Miso I get at Santouka inside Mitsu.wa. Going to try and make my own pork broth for next time (used canned chicken broth this past time) to hopefully elevate it even further.

  • Janet

    August 9, 2015 at 7:30 AM Reply

    thoughts on using korean gochujang in place of sichuan douban chili paste?

  • Erin James

    September 26, 2015 at 7:33 AM Reply

    I rarely (if ever) post, but I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I have made it several times. I am going to make it tomorrow night for some friends. I would like to make my own chicken-pork broth, is there a recipe you like?
    Thanks!

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      September 26, 2015 at 11:42 PM Reply

      Erin, do you mean ramen broth or just broth in general? I always use the my “golden foundation” recipe as a broth base for many things.

  • ambar wibowo

    September 26, 2015 at 4:19 PM Reply

    is the soup still good for the next days if I still have the extra soup,can I just reheated the soup next morning and did the soup still good for the whole days? Thank you sorry for my English grammar

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      September 26, 2015 at 11:38 PM Reply

      Ambar, I’m sure you can keep the soup in the fridge, and reheat the next day :)

  • Sgrigis

    October 18, 2015 at 2:01 AM Reply

    Loved the recipe! Very rich! Had to use chicken as pork cannot be bought easily in Qatar haha but I used some duck fat to add a bit of delicious fat! My partner doesnt like the flavor of Dashi unfortunately but I made it anyways :p Thank you for sharing!!
    It actually doesnt take long, great instructions :)

  • Sabrina

    October 20, 2015 at 12:54 AM Reply

    This ramen looks really amazing!

  • Jackie

    February 18, 2016 at 11:16 AM Reply

    Just made this recipe tonight! I have to admit, I didn’t have sesame paste or sesame oil so I had to omit both. I also made the mistake of thinking I had rice wine on hand, when I actually had rice vinegar. I subbed rice wine for 2 tbsp rice vinegar + 1 tbsp water, and it was still delicious! The recipe was super easy to follow, and not very time conuming (the hardest part was finding some of the ingredients lol). I will absolutely make this again! :)

  • Ben

    April 20, 2016 at 10:06 AM Reply

    I didn’t have a super fine sieve. I blended the shit out of the miso paste and the broth still turned out a bit thick. Still, this was phenomenal. There’s no good ramen in Denver, so I’ll definitely be making this again.

  • Reeech

    April 25, 2016 at 9:21 AM Reply

    This was GREAT! My Pacific Islander wife and I lived in Japan for a decade and I travel there fairly often. WE love, and crave, good ramen periodically–especially the spicy version. (We have gone all the way to Tokyo for a WEEKEND, just to get a proper bowl of ramen and beer!) In the Ramen wasteland of Minneapolis there is ONE place that does spicy ramen right, but most do it horribly wrong — oddly sweet and “not right.” As you noted, things in Japan are done EXACTLY right (and EXACTLY the same) or not at all. In any case, I wanted to make my own spicy ramen and your recipe “looked” close. It was damn near perfect. Strangely, the hardest thing to find was the packaged ramen noodles. There is ONE place in the Twin Cities that has a great Japanese selection, but it is way across town. I finally a found a place nearer that had it–and when I went to make it for the FINAL step, it was BAD! So, sadly we wound up using Ichiban dry packaged ramen as the noodles, but they were OK. Great lesson, great match to the “real thing” and funny notes to boot. I wound up using a few substitutions, per your recommendations, and they all worked out well. Note: To those Intrepid souls attempting this, this “simple version” took about FOUR hours from start to eat.

  • dhea

    May 14, 2016 at 8:03 PM Reply

    Girl,You Rock!!!

    Thank you for being you heheheh

    My children love this ramen and thanks to you they love me coz of it
    just had this for dinner

    thank you so much

    Best regards from Australia
    D sheppard

  • John

    August 1, 2016 at 3:07 AM Reply

    I wanted to try to make this with my own dashi. Do you have any reccomedation for how much and what step to add it in?

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      August 1, 2016 at 1:48 PM Reply

      John, I haven’t experienced with making my own dashi so I can’t say… I would start with a stronger dashi using chicken stock as a base (not water) according to recipes on the internet, then use it to replace the chicken stock in the recipe.

  • Tina

    September 27, 2016 at 7:58 AM Reply

    Hello , I don’t eat pork , what steps do i skip to just simply make the spicy miso ramen ? would i simply follow the above details and below as well and skip the pork?

    Spicy miso ramen: (for 2 servings)
    220 grams of fatty ground pork
    1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil
    1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
    1 tbsp of dried shitake mushrooms
    2 cups (475 grams) of unsalted chicken or pork stock
    1 cup (227 grams) of unsweetened, unflavoured soy milk (Asian brands preferred but if unavailable, this will do, too)
    1/2 cup + 1/4 cup of spicy miso paste
    2 servings of fresh ramen noodles
    4 tbsp of finely diced scallions
    1 sheet of nori/Japanese sushi seaweed, cut into rectangular sheets

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      September 27, 2016 at 11:11 AM Reply

      Tina, could you substitute with beef? If not, I would just omit this topping

  • Stephanie Burns

    October 25, 2016 at 3:25 AM Reply

    I made this a couple months ago and it is SO GOOD! There was enough miso paste and oil left over to make it a couple more times. My husband and I are the only ones dining. The egg was perfectly sweet and salty… so far my favorite ramen recipe!!

  • Melanie Z.

    February 26, 2017 at 10:29 AM Reply

    Holy crap, this was awesome! We did 50-50 ground pork and ground turkey, so I’m sure this is the healthiest ramen I’ve ever eaten :-) Our Japanese grocer told us he doesn’t stock sesame paste because of the short shelf life, so we toasted some sesame seeds and pulverized them with a mortar and pestle, and that worked beautifully. I am super excited about the remaining spicy miso paste and what it means for our future meals. Seasoning was lovely, as it always is with Mandy’s recipes–do take care to use unsalted broth as she recommends. Thanks for expanding our repertoire once again!

  • Victoria

    April 27, 2017 at 2:32 PM Reply

    Paid $20 for 1 cup of brown rice miso at my grocery store in Dar es Salaam. 100% worth it for this! Made chicken broth and crisps chicken skin for extra crunch. Unreal. Thank you! Love this blog!

  • umami

    October 31, 2017 at 8:42 AM Reply

    Is there a brand of miso that would not go sour when you cook it? I wonder which brand you use

    I use different kinds of miso for miso soup and if I cook them in they usually make the soup more sour. My mom use a special kind of miso to make potato pork stew in which she completely replace the soy sauce with miso. It is really great and the miso she uses can be cooked for the long time with the sour and bitter taste.

    It is pretty perplexing to me. I saw the recipe uses miso and it was put in early and not last minutes. So I wonder if you can comment this :)

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      October 31, 2017 at 12:31 PM Reply

      Umami, maybe you already know this, but sugar is such an important companion for miso for exactly that reason. Miso does give the soup a sour aftertaste, but the sugar balances it out. I don’t have a special brand of miso I use:)

  • Marge

    November 26, 2017 at 2:46 AM Reply

    Hi,

    are you supposed to cook the meat separate from the broth? As in the photo the meat is on top of the dish.

    Please let me know, would love to make this tomorrow

  • Alex Scheiwe

    December 18, 2017 at 11:26 AM Reply

    How long does the Miso Paste last once it is all blended together, and in the fridge in an air-tight container?

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      December 18, 2017 at 3:07 PM Reply

      Alex, to aim for the safe side because of the onion and stuff, I would say up to 5 days :)

  • Meat Sweats

    January 3, 2018 at 3:04 AM Reply

    I’ve been eating instant ramen noodles for the past 20 years of my life and still love them. I’ve never had real ramen and this recipe intrigued me. I’ve made Pho before from scratch so I was up for the challenge. I bought every ingredient as listed and even made my own chasu pork with my sous vide machine for an additional topping and attempted to make my own alkaline noodles. The broth turned out great. You definitely need to use unsalted chicken stock in order to maximize the amount of Miso. I made the miso paste, eggs and garlic oil ahead of time which made life easier when time to fully assemble.

    I unfortunately over cooked my homemade noodles which got really mushy and starchy and it ruined experience for me. I will be buying some instant ramen packs and using those noodles for my left over broth.

    Great recipe over all and great instructions. Love the blog and will be trying more shortly!

  • BlackBean

    January 14, 2018 at 2:27 AM Reply

    I’m so excited to make this recipe this weekend!

    In the recipe directions, you never mention pulling the pork out of the pot. You go from the pork in the pot releasing its fat to adding some of the miso paste to the pot.

    But as someone recently asked, and as it looks like in the picture, the pork comes out at some point while the soup is made. Is that correct, and if so, when? I assume it’s after the pork cooks and releases fat, but before adding the miso paste to the pot, but wanted to check. Thanks again!!
    Thanks!!

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      January 14, 2018 at 12:15 PM Reply

      BlackBean you don’t take out the pork, just leave it in the pot :)

  • Babyboby

    February 5, 2018 at 4:52 AM Reply

    I know why you called this express because the original pork or chicken ramen is labor intensive. Compared to the original this version is surely much express.

  • pernille

    February 27, 2018 at 3:45 PM Reply

    Thank you thank you thank you for this! Our city in Sweden has very limited ramen options, and frankly, I’m tired of them. This hit the spot! The soy milk is brilliant, I’d never have thought to add that. Can’t wait for lunch time leftovers!

  • Melissa

    May 17, 2018 at 2:59 PM Reply

    This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try this weekend. What do you recommend if I don’t have red miso paste? Love your blog!

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      May 17, 2018 at 3:15 PM Reply

      Melissa, do you have any other type of miso paste?

      • Melissa

        June 18, 2018 at 3:10 PM Reply

        I have white miso paste and sichuan douban chili paste.

  • Marina Zemina

    June 1, 2018 at 10:16 AM Reply

    Здравствуйте! When you say soup, are you referring to the stock and soy milk that is already simmering with all the miso in it already with the mushrooms?

  • Patrick

    June 17, 2018 at 12:36 AM Reply

    Hi! This recipe tasted great and was easy to follow. Creaminess was achieved!

    I’m assuming I did something wrong so possibly someone or Mandy can help me troubleshoot. Tasted great but there was a back of the mouth bitter aftertaste. My best guess is that it’s the “sichuan douban chili paste”. Is it possible that I over food processed had more “solids” make it into the soup through the sieve? I used the same paste and ingredients. My soup was also more red than in your picture.

    Pointers greatly appreciated.

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      June 17, 2018 at 2:03 AM Reply

      Patrick, oh that’s weird. Was anything burnt during the process? Dogbane paste shouldn’t be bitter but it can be very salty.

  • Laura

    July 27, 2018 at 7:27 AM Reply

    Made this tonight. For a super quick ramen recipe, this is really delicious. I subbed the noodles for shiratake, but my boyfriend had just regular. Both were amazing.

  • Jessie

    September 3, 2018 at 3:01 PM Reply

    Omg I just made this and it is to die for!!!!!!! I’m still amazed that I made this and I didn’t go to a ramen bistro cuz guys seriously that’s how good it is!!!! I used ground veal instead of pork and it was oh so good!!!!

  • Jessie

    September 3, 2018 at 3:02 PM Reply

    Omg I just made this and it is to die for!!!!!!! I’m still amazed that I made this and I didn’t go to a ramen bistro cuz guys seriously that’s how good it is!!!! I used ground veal instead of pork and it was oh so good!!!! Thank u so so much for sharing this…we don’t have any good ramen places where I live and I love ramen so much!!!

  • Andrew McKee

    January 13, 2019 at 1:25 AM Reply

    Hi,

    Great looking recipe! I’m making it for dinner tomorrow. I have a question regarding the Shichimi Togarashi Oil. Mine turned out as a paste, I was concerned that the proportions were correct in the recipe. 2.5 Tbl is dried spices is 1/2 of the volume of the oil. Add to that two small shallots and that’s about a 1:1 ratio of oil to solids. Have I misinterpreted the recipe?

    • mandy@ladyandpups

      January 13, 2019 at 2:09 AM Reply

      Andrew, could it be that you used a much larger shallots than I did? Asian shallots are a lot smaller than American/European shallots. But it’s ok if it’s a thick paste I think.

  • Meghan Hayes

    May 30, 2019 at 7:10 AM Reply

    Hi! I just wanted to say that I’ve been making this recipe for a few years and it’s phenomenal!!! I don’t eat meat so I use Lightlife “Fakin Bacon” + a little extra oil instead of pork, works great.

    I used to live near a fantastic Japanese restaurant and my we actually preferred this ramen to theirs :)

    We’ve eaten this on 2 xmas eves, it’s a new tradition.

    I’ve never commented on a blog before but just wanted to say BRAVO and THANK YOU! <3

  • Sovanny

    December 30, 2019 at 11:44 PM Reply

    Lady, this sh*t is amazing!!!! Made it last night, so daaaamn good!!!!!

  • Antonio

    January 3, 2020 at 5:22 PM Reply

    Love your site…quick note, the recipe doesn’t mention how much meat and soy milk to use. Can you add and revise?

  • Russell Toris

    May 8, 2020 at 8:25 AM Reply

    This seems very similar to Tantanmen which also transitionally uses soy milk.

  • thegiftsports

    July 28, 2020 at 5:33 PM Reply

    I look so delicious. You make me hungry.

  • Teetine

    July 28, 2020 at 5:34 PM Reply

    This is the best dish I’ve ever made. Thanks you!

  • mdog

    August 29, 2020 at 9:11 AM Reply

    so so so good. still making this years later– and very easy to make vegetarian <3 and adding fried kale is bomb.

    • MK

      October 5, 2020 at 1:41 PM Reply

      Hi there! I am interested in your vegetarian version. How do you do it?

  • Lisa

    September 9, 2020 at 10:18 AM Reply

    I absolutely love this recipe! It is time consuming but so worth it. I like to make the spicy miso paste a couple of days before I make the soup. The flavors have time to marinate and it cuts my time in half.

    This is my second time making it and it will not be the last. My family loves it! Thank you for a wonderful recipe.

  • Nyasha

    September 20, 2020 at 11:02 PM Reply

    Yours looks way more delicious than mine! Such a great post and I hope you can check out my tantanmen recipe on my website and comment what you think: http://nyamwithny.com/nyam-recipes-tantanmen/ I can see from your recipe that there are quite a number of ingredients that I’m missing so I’m planning to refine my recipe and follow yours. I’ll get back to you with the results!

  • Dandre

    September 30, 2020 at 10:26 AM Reply

    Thank you for sharing all your recipes with us. I would really like to try to make the Melopan Bread and the delicious Pork Miso Ramen Noodles someday too.

  • Rebecca

    October 7, 2020 at 3:07 AM Reply

    Hi! I’m in a small town and my grocery store doesn’t stock things like pork feet etc to make the homemade pork broth like your “golden foundation” recipe uses, and my boyfriend can’t eat poultry so I can’t make a chicken stock. Do you think an unsalted vegetable broth or beef broth would be sufficient? (I am aware the vegetable option would be lacking in umami). Thank you!

  • Jacob

    October 23, 2020 at 2:41 AM Reply

    I have tried many ramen recipes on the internet. They all made good bowls of ramen, but I was still left wanting. There is no shortage of good ramen shops here in Austin, but I cringe everytime at dropping $16 per bowl. I tried many times to find a spicy miso recipe that was close to my favorite at the popular ramen shop down the street. This is it, Mandy! Thank you! My family has declared this recipe a success!

  • Felipa

    November 18, 2020 at 11:05 AM Reply

    thanks so much for the recipe, my husband and i have not had good ramen since visiting japan. the spicy miso paste is amazing!

  • Kenny

    June 25, 2021 at 10:02 AM Reply

    Very good. I have made this several times.

  • Mikroautobusų nuoma Vilniuje

    July 30, 2021 at 5:15 PM Reply

    Mikroautobusų nuoma Vilniuje siūlo puikia proga atsigauti nuo karantino ir praleisti paskutinį vasaros mėnesį kartu su draugais keliaujant. Mikroautobusų nuoma Vilniuje siulo mikroautobusus, autobusu, su vairuotoju ir be. Pasiimę keeivinį mikroautobusą galite keliauti su savo šeima arba su draugu kompanija po visa Lietuvą. Dažnai žmonės renkasi atostogas užsienyje, bet net nepamato kokie gražus ir nuostabus peizažai laukia ju Lietuvoje.

  • Claire Mason

    August 31, 2021 at 3:55 PM Reply

    Hello :)

    Delicious recipe but EXTREMELY hard to follow. We needed to take notes and spent ages working out all the quantities (miso paste recipe serves 8, actual ramen recipe served 2?? ). Did anyone else struggle ?!?!

    Some basic steps to follow in order (rather than pre-made components in a seperate section) and comparable quantities between sections would be beyond helpful.

    Hope this feedback is helpful. I don’t usually critique but was shocked at my struggles with this recipe so wanted to pass on my thoughts.

    Best wishes always Xx

  • Alain Roy

    January 17, 2022 at 2:37 PM Reply

    I’ve been meaning to make this for years, but only just got around to it today. It was really good and worth the effort. Thank you!!

  • Miara Tee

    February 8, 2023 at 12:18 AM Reply

    thanks so much for the recipe, my husband and i have not had good ramen since visiting japan. the spicy miso paste is amazing!

  • Pam

    July 21, 2023 at 7:37 AM Reply

    I’ve saved the paste for 5 months and it was just as good as before!

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