Miso Ramen with Roasted Chicken Thighs and Ramen Egg

We love ramen. The rich, satisfying broth, the fresh, crunchy vegetables and the chewy, silky noodles. Not to mention the jammy, savory-and-sweet marinated soft boiled egg. Until recently, I didn’t think it was possible to make ramen at home. Now, with a little prep and some imagination (and the availability of good miso these days), it is actually pretty easy to make ramen at home, although I’ll admit this recipe has a lot of parts. The ramen egg, a soft boiled egg marinated in sweet, slightly boozy soy sauce, needs at least four hours to marinate (some recipes say a minimum of 24 hours), and can be kept in the fridge for up to four days. So, it’s a wonderful thing to make ahead. If you don’t think you or your family will enjoy having a runny yolk and soft egg with their ramen, feel free to skip making it. But it really is delicious and a part of the traditional ramen experience, so I do recommend trying it at least once. It is called ajitsuke tamago in Japan.

With regards to toppings, the only necessary toppings are some kind of crunchy vegetable (julienned carrots and bean sprouts are my favorite), some nori (seaweed sheets; I use nori snacks, cut into ribbons with my kitchen shears) and your chosen protein (in this case the roasted chicken thighs). Optional toppings are chili powder (the Japanese chili condiment is called shichimi togarashi), sesame seeds, seafood cake (narutomaki) and sliced spring onions.

Miso Ramen with Roasted Chicken Thighs & Ramen Eggs

Serves 4

ramen egg ingredients

4 eggs

Marinade

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup mirin (Japanese sherry); any semi dry white wine will do nicely as a substitute

2 Tablespoons sugar

(optional) 

1 teaspoon of gochujang, or any hot sauce (pref a sweet hot sauce)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Method

Heat the marinade ingredients in a small pot until the sugar has dissolved. Set marinade aside. Put a medium sized pot filled with water on to boil. Beside the stove place a metal bowl filled with cold or ice water. When the water is boiling, lower the heat to low and gently place your eggs into the water, taking care not to crack the shells (I use a soup ladle for this). Bring back to a boil and cook the eggs for 6 1/2 minutes. Transfer them quickly to the cold water. When they have cooled down enough to peel, do so carefully and combine them with the other ingredients in a quart freezer bag. Place the eggs and marinade together in the bag and refrigerate until ready to use (minimum four hours and up to four days).

Roasted Chicken Thighs

4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (approx 1.1 lbs)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons honey (opt)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Method

Rinse and pat dry your chicken, especially the skin. Rub skin with oils and honey, season with spices and drizzle with the soy sauce. Roast for 35-45 minutes (or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165 or above). Set the chicken thighs aside for serving with the ramen. Strain the fat and set aside. Now you’re ready to assemble the ramen.

Ramen Noodle Soup

3 packages store bought ramen, flavor packets reserved for another recipe

5 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup white or yellow miso

3 large cloves garlic, peeled and scored

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 Tablespoons reserved chicken fat

Toppings

1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed

1 cup julienned carrots

Ramen eggs

1 ounce nori, sliced into ribbons

Method

Pan roast garlic in vegetable oil until the garlic has turned golden and has softened. Set aside. In a large pot bring 5 cups of water and the chicken stock to a boil. Boil ramen noodles for 3 minutes, then divide noodles up between four serving bowls. Turn the heat down to a simmer and add miso and chicken fat. Mash garlic and add garlic as well. To serve, divide broth between bowls. Pull the chicken meat from the bones. Top with 1/4 of each of the toppings, starting with the chicken and vegetables, then one egg each, sliced in half and finally the nori and chili powder (if desired).