Spicy Beef Ramen

Spicy Beef Ramen
Our Spicy Beef Ramen

There are few comfort foods in the world that are better than a bowl of ramen. If you are lucky enough to have a restaurant nearby where the make their own noodles, it’s one of the greatest things in the world. But, even if you are stuck at home because of COVID, don’t fret – it’s not really that hard to make a very tasty ramen. It was our New Year’s celebration meal this year!

Ingredients (for 2)

  • 2 tsp sesame or vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp mirin (rice wine vinegar)
  • 4 cups rich chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp gochujang (to taste)
  • 1 pouch Dashi
  • ½ tbsp sake
  • 1/2 cup mushrooms (use good ones!)
  • 1–2 tsp sea salt, to taste
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup scallions, sliced
  • 2 (3 oz) packs dried ramen noodles
  • ½ sheet nori (seaweed) (cut in strips)
  • 1/2 pound of descent beef steak – (pref. partially frozen to make cutting easier)

Make the soft-boiled eggs: Fill a pot with enough water to cover the eggs, and bring to a boil. Gently lower the eggs (still cold from the fridge) into the boiling water, and let simmer for 7 minutes (for a slightly-runny yoke) or 8 minutes (for a soft, but set-up yolk). YOU WANT THE RUNNY YOLK – trust me. Fill a large bowl with ice water. When the egg timer finishes, transfer the eggs to the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Wait at least 5 minutes, or until cool enough to handle, then carefully peel away the shell

You can also soak the eggs in soy and mirin for a bit to color the outside and add flavor. If you have time, try it. It’s quite tasty.

Broth: In a large pot, heat sesame oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant. Add gochujang, chicken stock, dashi, soy, & sake and simmer till noodles are done.

Noodles: Cook them separately in another pot – typically 2-3 min, then drain. Follow the instructions for the brand you buy.

Steak: As steak is thawing, cut into very thin strips. If they are thin enough, you can cook them simply by putting them in the soup broth when it is going into the bowls. (Marinate with the same spices for more flavor!)

Assemble bowls by adding noodles, mushrooms, nori, steak, scallions, and soft-boiled eggs. Add broth and top with furikake of your choice!

We always have a little broth left over. You can cook more noodles and do extra servings!