Why I Love Making Ramen Bowls | Kat Wheeler Ceramics

So is a bowl just a bowl? I have been noticing lately that my Ramen Bowls have been very popular. I think this style of eating has become more fashionable. A large bowl filled to the brim with steaming hot broth has got to be one of the most comforting things about this time of year and with all the uncertainty that’s around at the moment, its these small comforts that we turn to.

Simply put, Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup with a combination of rich flavoured broth, on of a variety of types of noodles and a selection of meats or vegetables, often topped with a boiled egg. In Japan ramen is considered a fast food, with many small restaurants and street vendors offering a warming bowl of this delicious soup. It is heavily regionalised, with different variations served in different areas.

During the recent lockdown my eldest son, who is an accomplished experimental cook, was staying with me and made it a goal to perfect the perfect Ramen base. He treated the making of the stock as a real labour of love. Slowly simmered for hours to get the perfect flavours. This became a bit of a ritual over lock down and we were treated to some beautiful fresh flavours without having to do any of the work – which is always a luxury!

Ive included one of my favourite recipes below. It’s a fairly simple version but delicious so I thought I would include it here. But there are a huge variety of recipes to choose from and once you learn the basics, its fun to recreate your favourite and experiment with different ingredients. From a casual lunch to dinner parties, a bowl of lovingly made Ramen just cant be beaten.

A couple of Ramen bowls and some chopsticks with a nice book of Ramen recipes make the perfect unusual and thoughtful gift if you are stuck for ideas. There will be plenty in my restock on the 20th October, just in time for Christmas so do come back and check out what’s in the store. I’m also making a few Sake Bottles with accompanying mini cups which would make an additional accompaniment to a Japanese themed foodie gift.

So until then I will be working hard in the studio getting everything glazed and fired hopefully in time for the 20th. This horrible weather is not helping me with drying times in my draughty old studio but I’m keeping everything crossed that weather will improve! Hope you enjoy the recipe. Kat x

Chicken Ramen Recipe:

INGREDIENTS

For the broth:

6 to 6 1/2 pounds chicken wings
4 medium carrots (about 8 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
3 small bunches scallions (12 to 18), roots trimmed
10 cups water, divided
1 head garlic, skin on, roots removed, cut in half horizontally
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
20 dried shiitake mushrooms (about 2 ounces)
1 (6-inch) sheet dried kombu (sea vegetable or seaweed)
1/4 cup soy sauce

For the shoyu tare:

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin

For the eggs and noodles:
3 to 4 large eggs, depending on the number of diners
6 (5-ounce) packages fresh, thin, and wavy ramen noodles

For serving:

1/2 cup menma (fermented bamboo shoots)
6 medium scallions, thinly sliced
3 toasted nori sheets, cut into ribbons
Chili oil or toasted (Asian) sesame oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the broth and tare:

Roast the chicken wings. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 220°C. Place the chicken wings in a stovetop-safe roasting pan or casserole dish and roast until well-browned, about 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 190°C, add the carrots and scallions, and stir to combine. Roast for 20 minutes more.

Deglaze the roasting pan. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a stockpot. Place the now-empty roasting pan on the stovetop over high heat. Add 2 cups of the water and, stirring and scraping vigorously with a heatproof or metal spoon, scrape up all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, then carefully pour the mixture into the stockpot.

Add the garlic, ginger, shiitakes, kombu, and remaining 8 cups of water to the pot and stir to combine. Bring just to a simmer over high heat — just a few bubbles around the edges.

Reduce the heat as low as your stove will allow, add the soy sauce, and simmer uncovered, occasionally skimming the fat that accumulates on the surface, until the chicken has fallen completely off the bone and the wing bones come apart easily, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Strain the broth. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard the solids. Cool the broth to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Before using, skim the fat off the surface and discard.

Make the tare. Combine the soy sauce and mirin in a small airtight container, seal, and refrigerate until ready to use.

For serving:

Cook the eggs. Fill a large saucepan with a few inches of water and place over high heat until it comes to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat so that the water is at a rapid simmer. Gently lower the eggs into the water 1 at a time, then simmer for 6 minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon to an ice water bath. Peel the cooled eggs, cut in half lengthwise, and set aside. Cook the noodles. Return the egg cooking water to a boil, add the noodles, and cook according to package directions, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the noodles and run under cool water to stop the cooking.

Simmer and flavor the broth. Bring the broth back to a boil in a separate saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the tare to taste.

Assemble the bowls. Divide the noodles between 4 deep, wide bowls (or more bowls if you want to have smaller servings). Ladle on the hot broth. Top each bowl with 1 to 2 egg halves, bamboo shoots, scallions, and nori and drizzle with oil.