SPICY NOT-KOTSU RAMEN

SERVES 4 PREP + COOK 55 MINS + STANDING

◆ ¼ cup olive oil

◆ 2 tsp finely grated ginger

◆ 6 garlic cloves, crushed

◆ 4 green onions, sliced thinly,

green tips shredded

◆ 2 tbsp spicy black beans

in chilli oil

◆ 2 tbsp white miso

◆ 1/3 cup mirin

◆ 1/3 cup soy sauce

◆ 2 cups soy milk

◆ 2 corn cobs

◆ 4 baby pak choy, halved

◆ 270g dried ramen noodles

◆ 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted, crushed

◆ 200g silken tofu, cubed DASHI

◆ 25g dried shiitake mushrooms

◆ 40g dried kombu

1 DASHI Place ingredients in a large saucepan with 1.5 litres water, bring to the boil over low heat. Remove from heat, stand 30 mins for flavours to infuse. Strain liquid through a fine sieve into a jug, slice shiitakes, reserving in a small bowl, discard kombu. 2 Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, cook ginger, garlic and green onion 4 mins or until softened. Add black beans and miso, cook, stirring, 1 min. Add mirin and soy sauce, bring to the boil.

3 Reduce heat to medium, add dashi and soy milk, cook 5 mins or until just below boiling point. Strain through a fine sieve, discard solids. Stir in reserved sliced shiitake.

4 Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Cook corn 5 mins or until tender, remove with tongs. Add pak choy to water, cook 2 mins or until tender, then remove with tongs. Add noodles to same water, cook 5 mins or until tender. Drain. Cut kernels from corn cobs.

5 Divide noodles and pak choy among bowls. Pour over hot broth. Top with corn kernels, shredded green onion and tofu. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.