I’ve been watching a lot of Netflix’s Chef’s Table and all other food shows I can get my hands on and the episode with Ivan Orkin intrigued me. This is one dish I have never tried making before. I’m calling it beginner ramen because this is my first attempt and I don’t think it will be my last, and also it really is beginner because there aren’t many ingredients or complicated steps to make it. I think anyone will be able to make this dish no cooking skills required. Ramen is known for it’s Umami flavours, and depends heavily of the quality of the broth made. Umami is the Japanese word for savoury and describes the fifth taste of something rich, rounded and delicious.

Beginner Ramen

Ingredients: Serves 2

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• shimeji mushrooms, whole
• 1 carrot, julienned
• bean sprouts
• spring onion, chopped
• 500ml good quality chicken stock
• 2 tsp soya sauce
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 maggi noodle cakes
• 1 – 2 soft boiled eggs for serving
• chilli oil for serving

Method:

1. In a pot, sauté the onion and garlic in oil or butter.
2. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and sauté.
3. Add the chicken stock, soya sauce, rice vinegar, Worcester sauce and noodle cakes.
4. Boil until the noodles are cooked then assemble your bowl as follows:
5. Place a bit of noodles in each bowl, top with shiitake mushrooms, raw shimeji mushrooms, julienned carrots, bean sprouts and a soft boiled egg cut in half.
6. Pour the broth over the noodles then sprinkle with chopped spring onion.
7. Add chilli oil before eating.