Vegan Umami Ramen

Heat a large pot of boiling water

Blanch the bok choy in this pot for about 2 minutes. Place in ice bath to shock it and to stop it cooking. Set aside and leave the hot water for the noodles.

Heat a fry pan on medium heat, add oil and bring up to temperature

Pan fry sliced tofu until crispy on the outside

Mix chutney, soy sauce, and chili flakes (to taste) together. Brush mixture on the outside of the tofu until evenly coated and sticky. Set aside.

Now for the broth, in a medium saucepan, add cooking oil and set to medium heat. Adjust oil to your own liking, I used about 1 tbs here.

Saute shallot until soft and transparent

Add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant

If you are using dried shiitake mushrooms, re-hydrate in hot water. Keep this mushroom broth to add to, it adds a nice umami to the broth

Add shiitake and its mushroom broth to the pan

Add Urban Forager Umami Broth Concentrate and create a paste with the aromatics

Add soy sauce, mirin, sake and stir until the paste has heated up and started to slightly sizzle

Deglaze the pan with water. Taste and adjust water content depending on how salty you like the broth. Note: ramen is traditionally very salty and oily.

Simmer on low heat, do not let it boil. While simmering, add the whites of your spring onion to the broth. This should cook through while you are cooking your noodles.

In the same saucepan you blanched the bok choy, cook the ramen noodles per packet instructions, or a minute less if you like it harder.

Once noodles are ready, strain and serve into bowls.

Ladle in the broth until it just covers the noodles

Place the bok choi, sweet soy tofu, the greens of spring onions, chili oil, and any other desired topping. Enjoy!