When I’m looking for inspiration, Pinterest and Instagram are my go-to apps to keep up to date with current trends or to look for ideas. But lately I’m finding it’s advantageous to step away from the Internet and look for new ideas in more traditional ways like magazines and newspapers. The other day I was flicking through my stack of magazines when I came across a soupless ramen picture.
I love ramen and anything related to noodle types. I’m generally powerless to resist it, so when I saw this soupless ramen, I was immediately intrigued to try it. The only problem is that you can only get this in Japan and there’s none in the U.S. But that did not stop me there. After doing my research and several failed kitchen attempts – I finally perfected my recipe. The rest was pretty much history.
Making ramen could be a challenge because there’s no exact measurement. Sometimes you might need to add 1 or 2 tbsp of water to make it work. But once you practice and know the texture, you can turn on the ramen beat and start rolling. I used this CucinaPro pasta set which gives me the right thickness of ramen. It’s very easy and straightforward to set this thing up that you don’t need a manual for this. This pasta set also comes with all attachments to make spaghetti, fettuccini, angel hair, ravioli and lasagnette. Yep, it’s one-stop shop!
Now what is soupless ramen? It’s basically a dry ramen so in order to do that, I started cooking spicy oil as the base. I’m using this Dutch Oven because it has superior heat distribution and retention – evenly heating the bottom and sidewalls of the vessel and across the lid. This is by far one of the best pots to cook with and easy to clean.
This soupless ramen is super delicious and you won’t be left disappointed, especially when you have fresh ramen. I’m adding a soft egg tempura to each bowl because that’s just the right thing to do *wink*. And what’s prettier than enjoying ramen in these beautiful bowls? I love simple dotted pattern like this. It fits well for casual or formal dining. Plus, it has contemporary sophistication and a bit of a whimsy look. What do you think? Are you a fan of soupless ramen or soupy ramen?
Spicy Soupless Ramen Recipe
INGREDIENTS
For the Ramen:
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ⅓ cup warm water
For the Spicy Oil:
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup leek, thinly sliced
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2-inch ginger, cut into 4
- 2 tbs chili powder
For the Toppings:
- Grilled corn
- Green onions, thinly sliced
- Seaweed
- Ham
- Fried soft boiled egg
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Ramen:
- Preheat the oven to 300F.
- Spread baking soda on a foil-lined sheet pan and bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour. Let it cool and combine with bread flour in a bowl.
- Add the warm water, stirring and mixing to form a crumbly dough.
- Knead it together for 5 minutes. Wrap the dough in a plastic and let is rest in room temperature for 10 minutes, then knead for another 5 minutes. Wrap the dough and put it in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Divide the dough into 4 portions. Flatten the dough using a rolling pin; then roll each dough using a pasta machine.
- (Note: I start with #7 few times; then change to #5; then to #3). You can set the thickness of your noodles/ ramen. Keep the noodles well floured to prevent them from sticking and bundle into each portion.
- Add water to a pot and bring to a boil. Add the fresh pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until al dente.
For the Spicy Oil:
- Add the vegetable oil to a cooking pot. Let it cook on a medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the leek, garlic, and ginger; then cook for 20-30 minutes. Remove leek, garlic, and ginger.
- Add the chili powder and cook for 10 minutes. Let it cool and strain the chili powder out.
To Assemble:
- Add 2-3 tbs of spicy oil to one portion. Mix well and add your toppings on top.
