Be bowled over
Amen for Ramen
The most chaotic of comfort food comes in the form of a bowl made up of the sum of its parts.
A warm hug, steam, broth, coziness. You want to dive into it, feel the aromatic embrace, like plunging into a pool of blissful, idyllic, slightly salty goodness.
Soy sauce, both kinds.
Maybe some mushrooms? Shiitake, obviously.
A soft-boiled, jammy, oozy egg is non-negotiable. Good broth, even better if it’s homemade, with loads of minced garlic and ginger.
A sprinkle of coriander or Thai basil and a spritz of fresh lime.
Send noods
Noodles — thick, thin, medium. Udon are the best, don’t fight me on it. But anything is fine.
Slurp them, it’s polite. Slurp louder if you’re with company, quieter if you’re alone. You have nothing to prove.
Which meat? Chicken? Maybe some pork or thinly-sliced steak. Prawns are good too.
Or go veggie/vegan. It’s still the best thing you’ll eat this week. I won’t judge you. Fry some crispy tofu or keep it silken. The world is your oyster mushroom.
Dive into your umami paradise, a different spoonful every single time. Drink the broth like it’s the last bit of liquid on Earth. Feel full, but in a satisfied way.
Amen for Ramen.
Noodle naysayer
Someone I work with told me that they don’t like ramen, so I can only assume that they’re either:
A) A massive liar.
B) Only had packet ramen.
C) Is allergic to deliciousness.
I feel like it’s all three, but if I say anymore then HR might need to get involved and I do not want that.
I should say, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with packet ramen, it’s incredible. But if your opinion is based around arguably the basest form of noodles out there, then it’s hard to have a compelling argument. Sorry.
Home comforts
Making ramen from scratch is very soothing. It’s like constructing an edible zen garden.
If you’re going full-authentic, make your stock from scratch by boiling up some chicken bones, or veto the meat(o) and simmer some good quality vegetables. Whichever, do it for at least 8 hours for a stockpot full of golden goodness.
Tailor it to your taste, the only non-negotiable is noodles, but even those can be any type you like.
Oh, broth(er)
I’m a massive broth-er (new term for ramen lovers) because how can you not be?
From seasoned chefs to students, tonkotsu to ramen packets — if you can put the kettle on, you can make a delightful dinner.
The steam that rises, that final sprinkle of garnish, burst the soft-boiled egg (or go eggless, if you’re weird).
Ramen is an event, because when you’re delving deep into a bowl of comforting broth, there’s very little else that matters.
Finish it, feel full, then saunter to the sofa for a snooze.
Let me know if you want my recipe, friends.
