Vegan ramen
Vegan week Enjoy this treat for a tasty midweek meal in just 25 minutes. Dried mushrooms and miso paste give the broth plenty of umami flavour
2 garlic cloves thumb-sized piece ginger, sliced, plus a few slices cut into fine matchsticks to serve (optional)
1½ tbsp white miso paste
1 tbsp neri goma (white sesame paste) or tahini
15g dried shiitake mushrooms 1l good-quality vegan stock
2 tbsp soy sauce
200g firm tofu, cut into chunky cubes 1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp veg or sunflower oil
100g (2 x nests) ramen or rice noodles 1 head pak choi, quartered
2 spring onions, finely sliced, white and green parts kept separate 25g ready-to-eat beansprouts 1 carrot, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks sesame oil, sriracha, chopped coriander, crushed peanuts, crumbled sheets of nori or dried chilli threads (silgochu) to serve (optional)
1
Crush the garlic with the back of a big knife, then put it in a saucepan with the ginger, miso, neri goma, mushrooms, stock and soy. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and bubble for 5 mins until the ginger is soft. Strain into a clean pan and discard everything left in the strainer. 2 Meanwhile, cook the tofu. Toss it in the cornflour and heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry for a few mins on each side, being careful as you turn it that it doesn’t fall apart. Cook the noodles for 1 min less than pack instructions, so they retain a little bite. Drain and leave in the pan with a little cooking water so they don’t stick together. 3
Add the pak choi and whites of the spring onions to the broth and gently reheat for 1-2 mins until the greens have just wilted. 4 Divide the noodles between two deep bowls, ladle over the broth and veg. Top with the tofu, beansprouts, carrot and ginger matchsticks, green parts of the spring onions and a drizzle of sesame oil, plus the other toppings, if you like.