Butter Chicken Miso Ramen

Ramen is really one of the most amazing things ever created. Yes, the instant stuff is good, but the homemade ramen is even more amazing. There's just something about homemade broth that makes it extra special. Some miso adds depth, while butter adds richness. All this topped with a soft boiled egg makes for an amazing meal.

Unfortunately, when I made this, I didn't have ramen noodles. I prefer to use the frozen or refrigerated noodles for this. I couldn't find it, so I resorted to dry egg noodles. Unfortunately, I chose some that were on the thin side. It was still delicious, but some fresh ramen noodles would have been best. I recommend splurging on the good stuff, not the instant noodle. I am planning on making ramen noodles at some point, but haven't found the time yet. I'll let you all know whether or not it's worth the time.

 

We all love instant ramen, but this recipe is something great. Even though it does take some serious time, it is another league or noodles. I highly recommend taking the time, at least once. I made this for myself when I was sick (I know, a bold move for being sick), and it was the most comforting thing I could have eaten. The best part was that I didn't have to leave home to eat it. 

Butter Chicken Miso Ramen (serves 4)
1 Chicken Breast
6 cups Water
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Garlic
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Mirin
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Miso
4 bunches Frozen Ramen Noodles
2 Bok Choy
1 can Corn
4 Eggs
2 tbsp Butter 
Scallion

1. Boil chicken breast in a medium-large pot with water, salt, and garlic. Once it comes to a boil, let it simmer covered for 4 hours. Add water as needed to replace the evaporated water.
2. As the broth boils, use a small strainer or a spoon to strain out the foam that forms so that you can have a smooth, clear broth.
3. After the stock has cooked, remove the chicken and allow to cool. Do not get rid of the broth. Then, use your hands to shred the chicken. Lightly salt and set aside.
4. Add the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and miso to the broth. Allow to boil and incorporate to a smooth soup. Keep hot.
5. In another pot, cook the ramen noodles until tender. Strain and cool slightly by rinsing the noodles. Separate into bowls.
6. Boil water in a pot. Once it boils, add the eggs into the pot gently. Allow to cook for 5 minutes. 
7. While you wait for your eggs, rinse and chop up bok choy. In a small saute pan, cook until just slightly tender.
8. Once the eggs are cooked, cool them quickly in cold water. Peel the eggs and set aside. Be very gentle, the yolk will be soft and runny, so you want to make sure you don't break the egg.
9. Pour your hot broth over the noodles. Add your bok choy, chicken, a big spoonful of corn, and a slice of butter. Top the bowl with your egg.
10. Garnish with scallion and sesame seeds and serve immediately.

This may not be a lazy day, quick recipe, but it's worth the work! The other great part of this recipe, is that it's affordable. I had most of this already in my house, and one chicken breast can feed the family. It's a simple grocery trip, with great results. I hope you can enjoy it as much as I did!

Sujebi (수제비)

Sujebi is similar to a Korean dumpling soup. A dough is made then pulled into sheets and torn to make "noodles". The soup is hearty and delicious, with potato, zucchini, egg, and mushrooms. It's a perfect way to warm up this winter!

Sujebi (수제비) (Serves 6)
2 cups Flour
1 cup Water
2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Salt
8 cups Water
3 tbsp Dashima Powder
1 tbsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tbsp Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
4 cloves Garlic
2 Potatoes
1 Zucchini
2 Onion
2 Eggs
1 package Enoki Mushroom
2 Green Onion

1. In a bowl, bring flour, 1 cup of water, oil, and 1 tsp of salt together. Knead well with your hands until it forms a uniform dough ball.
2. Wrap the dough and place into the fridge.
3. In a large pot, boil water, dashima, garlic powder, salt, sesame oil, and soy sauce on medium-low heat.
4. While the water heats up, peel and julienne potatoes.
5. Add the potatoes, and then julienne the zucchini and onion. Mince the garlic cloves, and add the zucchini, onion, and garlic to the pot when the potatoes are cooked about halfway. They will still be firm in the center.
6. Allow the zucchini and onion to cook about halfway. Then, add the eggs. As soon as you add the egg, you want to stir them into the soup, so that they are evenly dispersed.
7. Clean the ends of the enoki mushroom, and then add them to the stew.
8. Take the dough from the fridge and cut it into quarters. Gently pull the dough into a very thin sheet, and then tear it and put it into the stew.
9. Repeat with each quarter, then cover the pot and cook for about 3-5 minutes.
10. Slice the green onion and stir into the soup.
11. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

This soup is perfect for anyone feeling under the weather, and is not a difficult process to make! Make this traditional Korean stew and share it with your friends! They'll be sure to thank you for the filling, hearty, and delicious soup!

Korean Vegetable and Rice Porridge (죽)

죽 (Jook) is one of my favorite foods. It's a simple, comforting korean-style rice porridge. Whenever I was sick, my mom would always make it for me. It's the perfect food to get over being sick, but is great for whenever you want something plain but flavorful. It's very simple to make- you only need one pot! 

Korean Vegetable and Rice Porridge (Makes 2-3 servings)
1 cup Cooked Short Grain Rice
2 cups Water
1 tsp Beef, Dashi, or Vegetable Bullion
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 Carrot
1 Scallion
1 Egg 
1tsp Roasted Sesame Seeds

1. Place cooked rice and water in a pot and add all of the seasoning. 
2. Finely dice the carrot and scallion. You only need a handful of each. 
3. Add the carrot and scallion to the pot and then bring it to a boil. 
4. Stir occasionally to prevent burning, and cook until about a third of the moisture is left. 
5. Add the egg and stir quickly so that the egg gets mixed into the porridge. Remove from heat.
6. Pour into serving bowls and then garnish with sesame seeds. 

The porridge is best served immediately, so that a film doesn't develop. I like to eat it with a little kimchi. The spicy and sour flavor provides a wonderful contrast to the simple flavor of the porridge. 

If you want, you can add chicken as well. If you are using uncooked rice, add another 1.5 cups of water so that the rice will cook through completely. If you do not want to add the egg, simply reduce the mixture further, so that the moisture will evaporate out, creating a thick porridge.

If you have a friend who's sick, make them some! It'll definitely make them feel better :)

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Yesterday, I went on a day trip to Boston, exploring the city and eating food. I was excited to stop by Haymarket, which is a weekend market where farmers sell produce for extremely low prices. The place is extremely hectic, the floors are dirty with dropped fruits and vegetables, there's barely space to move, and the vendors are yelling constantly. However, the produce is extremely cheap. I was able to score 3 bunches of asparagus for $1! Sadly, I was too excited and took the first ones I found (which happened to be as soon as I walked into the plaza). As I walked around, I saw the same deal, but with much fresher looking asparagus... But still, it was only a dollar! I came home and had to trim off more from the asparagus than I would have liked, but it was still good enough to make some yummy soup!

Cream of Asparagus Soup (Makes 4 small servings)
1 lb Asparagus
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 cups Water
4 cloves Garlic
1 cup Heavy Cream
2 tbsp Butter
1/4 cup Sour Cream
1 tsp Salt
4 tbsp Sour Cream, for garnish
4 slices Bacon, for garnish (optional)
2 tbsp Olive Oil, for garnish
1 tbsp Lemon Juice, for garnish
Baguette, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Rinse and trim the ends off of the asparagus.
3. Place onto a baking sheet and season with salt,  pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice, and and olive oil.
4. Bake until tender, about 20 minutes.
5. Cut the asparagus after its cooled down into 1 inch pieces.
6. Place into a medium sized pot with 1 cup of water. With 4 roughly chopped cloves of garlic
7. Boil the asparagus for about 10 minutes, until very tender.
8. Use an immersion blender to puree the asparagus. If you don't have an immersion blender, use a regular blender.
9. Once the asparagus is smooth, add cream, butter, sour cream, and salt.
10. Mix until smooth, and thickened. It will not be completely smooth, since the asparagus fibers are not smooth. The finished soup will have a chowder or bisque consistency.
11. Slice baguette and toast in the oven.
12. Cook bacon until crispy. Cut into small pieces.
13. Pour soup into serving bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream (about a tbsp), sprinkle of bacon pieces, drizzle (1/2 tbsp) of olive oil, and a small squirt of lemon juice (1/4 tbsp). Finish with the toasted baguette slices and serve immediately.

The soup alone can look like baby food, but the garnishes add a color and texture to the soup to make it much more appetizing. You can toast the remaining baguette and serve it with the soup. It's very rich, so it's a good idea to have the extra bread to balance.

 Markets like Haymarket aren't anything like the boutique farmers markets where organic farmers sell their locally grown produce for high prices. It's more like the TJ Maxx of produce, but dirtier, cheaper, and louder. The produce that the grocery stores do not accept get taken to the market to be sold for lower prices. You have to look a little harder to find quality produce, but for the bargain, the inferior quality is not something to be upset about. 

French Onion Soup

 

Cold weather always makes me feel like eating soup. When it's freezing outside, I want to eat something hot to warm up! French Onion Soup has always been a favorite of mine. It's comfort food at its finest. The warm, rich broth with soft bread and stringy, melty cheese- there's nothing better on a cold day! This recipe for French Onion Soup is simple to make, and doesn't require too  much attention. It takes a little bit of time to properly caramelize the onions, but it's worth the wait! French Onion Soup is traditionally made with a little wine to deglaze the pan, but I make mine without it. The flavor is still rich, deep, and onion-y. 

French Onion Soup (Makes 4 Servings)

3 tbsp Butter

2 Onions

1 clove Garlic

32 oz Beef Stock

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1/2 Baguette

8 slices Provolone Cheese

1. Slice the onions into thin, 1/4 inch slices. 

2. In a medium pot, melt butter on medium heat. 

3. Once the butter is melted, add the onions. Mix the onions to coat with butter. 

4. Turn down the heat to low. Continue to cook the onions, stirring occasionally. 

5. Cook the onions for about 30 minutes, until caramelized. Don't rush this process, because you want the onions to be perfectly caramelized for the soup! Here's a picture of the finished onions.

6. Add the garlic and gently mix into the onions.

7. Add a little bit of beef stock to deglaze the pot slightly, and then add the remaining stock. 

8. Raise the heat to bring the soup to a boil, and then return to low heat to simmer for 45 minutes. Simmering the soup allows the flavors to develop fully, so that you can enjoy a full-bodied onion flavor. 

9. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. 

10. Slice the bread so that you have 8 slices. You can toast them slightly if you'd like. 

11.Place 4 oven-safe bowls onto a sheet pan.

12.When the soup has finished simmering, pour into the oven-safe bowls. Place 2 slices of bread and 2 slices of cheese over the top.

13. Place into the oven for about 5-10 minutes, until the cheese has melted completely and browned slightly. 

14. Remove from oven, place the bowls onto soup plates, and serve immediately. 

French Onion Soup takes some time to create, but if the time is taken to properly make it, the flavor is bold. The process is simple, and the ingredients are not very expensive, so be sure to make some for friends and family :) 

I've also reached 10,000 page views as of yesterday! A HUGE thanks to everyone keeping up with this blog, and sharing with their friends. Continue to share, create, and enjoy!

Hearty Chicken Soup

The weather in Providence is starting to cool down and winter is (sadly) coming soon. Many of my friends have recently gotten sick. The change in weather, the exhaustion from Fall Conference last week (a retreat i went to with Reformed University Fellowship), the midterms, the work... all lead to a lot of nasty colds. Unfortunately, I can't make all of my friends a warm soup, but I can give my recipe for it! This soup is hearty, filling, and yummy! My recipe makes a large batch, so you can have it for days, too. If you want to make less, try to cut the batch in half. You can always adjust and add or substitute veggies. The soup is made without canned chicken stock, so the flavors are natural to create a healthy "cure" for the common cold.

Chicken Soup (Serves 12)
1 Tbsp Oil
3 Chicken Legs
5 Cloves Garlic
1 Onion
1 Bell Pepper
1 Handful Chopped Asparagus
1 Carrot 
1 Gallon Water
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp Oregano
1/2 Tsp Sage
1/2 Tsp Basil

1. Mince garlic and set aside.
2. Chop vegetables to a medium dice. They should be relatively consistent to ensure even cooking. 
3. Make cuts into the sides of the chicken legs so that they will cook more quickly and evenly.
4. Season chicken with salt and pepper (not in ingredients).
5. In a large pot, heat oil.
6. Add garlic once the pot is hot. Allow it took slightly. Remove the garlic. Keep as much oil in the pot as possible.
7. Add chicken. Lower heat to low-medium. Turn every couple minutes.
8. Remove chicken when 75% cooked.
9. Chop chicken off of the bones. Cut into small pieces. Do not throw away the bones.
10. Use a paper towel to clean the pot. Remove any burnt oil, chicken residue, and garlic.
11. Place bones into water and cover. Boil for 20 minutes to make a quick stock.
12. Add vegetables and seasoning, cover, and simmer on low-medium heat for 30 minutes, or until the flavors have developed.
13. When finished, turn off heat and serve. Leave the bones in the soup so that you can continue to develop the flavor if you have any leftovers.

Pour the soup over some cooked noodles or rice. I would not cook the noodles into the soup, just in case you have leftovers (it's better not to have soggy noodles later). It is best to cook noodles or rice while your soup is boiling. Be sure to cool down noodles with cold water to stop the cooking. You can store leftover noodles in a ziploc bag or a tupperware. You can reheat the soup by bringing it to a boil. If it boils down too much, just add a little water. Enjoy!

When I went to RUF Fall Conference last weekend, I went apple picking! An apple post will be coming next week, featuring a maple, bacon, and roasted apple ice cream alongside another surprise! You don't want to miss it! Find it here on Sunday 10/20 10PM EST!

Tomato Bisque

Many college students are familiar with the never-failing tomato soup and grilled cheese combo. It's a simple, cheap dish, and definitely one of my favorites. When I'm feeling lazy, I'll grab two slices of bread, two slices of cheese, a small handful of spinach, and a couple slices of tomato (attempting to make this healthy) to make a hot, melty, cheesy object of delight. Get a frying pan, melt some butter, and toast until the cheese is melted. But with one of the most delicious, classic sandwiches, you need tomato soup! I had some tomatoes that were pretty close to going bad, so I took them and made soup!

Tomato-Basil Bisque (Makes 2 servings)
2 Cloves of Garlic
5 Plum Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
3 Basil Leaves, Chopped
2.5 cups Water

1. Slice tomatoes into small pieces. I personally like seeds because they add extra texture, so I did not remove them.
2. Heat up a pot, and add oil.
3. Once hot, add garlic and tomatoes at once and mix.
4. Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, and chopped basil leaves.
5. Allow to cook down until tender, about 10 minutes.

6. Add water and mix. allow to reduce until slightly thickened.
7. Remove from heat.
8. Use an immersion blender or food processor or blender to puree the remaining tomato pieces until there are no tomato chunks.
9. Pour into a bowl and serve with a hot grilled cheese. :)

The tomato bisque is an interesting twist to the traditional tomato soup. It is very flavorful, quick, and simple. You can also reduce the tomatoes further to create a sauce that would go perfectly over pasta. Separately cook some onions, ground beef (season with salt and pepper), and mushrooms and pour the sauce into the mixture. Then add noodles and mix until the noodles are coated. 

This is a simple and inexpensive recipe that can be used for a lot of different food. Enjoy!

Shrimp Shiitake Noodle Soup

One of the sous chefs at work always used to tell me "stick to your roots". Although this can apply to my mentality and my work ethic, it can also apply to the type of food I make! Recently I went to a farmers market when I visited some friends in Athens, Georgia. I got some locally grown shiitake mushrooms and had to use them on the blog :)

 I thought about sticking to my roots... and came up with an Asian soup using a local, Georgia-grown product. This soup is a simple dish with a very light, refreshing, clean flavor. It is not a oily or heavy soup that will leave you wishing you didn't finish that last bite. Instead, it will leave you wanting another bowl.

Shrimp Shiitake Noodle Soup (Serves 8)
1 tsp Sesame Oil

1/2 lb Medium Sized Shrimp

1 Onion

1 pack Enoki Mushroom

3 oz Shiitake Mushroom 

2 tbsp Salt

2 tsp Pepper

2 tbsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Sesame Seeds

10 cups Water

2 tbsp Soy Sauce

1 lb Somen Noodles

2 Eggs 

3 oz Spinach

1. Peel and devein shrimp. Remove the shell that is on the tails as well. Rinse the shrimp thoroughly.

2. Slice onions to about 1/4 in slices. Slice off the end of the enoki mushrooms. If needed, cut the shiitake mushrooms into smaller pieces, about the size of a nickel.
3. Put a large pot over high heat. 

4. Pour sesame oil and allow to heat up. 

5. Once hot, put shrimp at once into the pot. Toss a couple times. 

6. Add onions and mushrooms. Sprinkle the seasoning over the ingredients in the pot and stir to incorporate.
7. Add water when everything is about halfway cooked. Par-cooking the food allows it to develop some flavor, and speeds the cooking process.
8. Add soy sauce to season soup. Allow the soup to come to a boil. Then turn the heat to medium and allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
9. In the meantime, boil water in a separate saucepan to cook the noodles.
10. Once boiling, add the noodles and cook for about 2 minutes.
11. Pour out the noodles into a strainer and rinse with cold water.
12. Mix eggs together in a bowl until the yolks and whites are not separated. After the soup has been simmering for 15-20 minutes, pour eggs slowly into the pot and mix as you pour.
13. Add spinach and mix until the leaves wilt slightly.Then, turn off the heat.
14. Place noodles into a soup bowl and pour the hot soup over the noodles. The soup is ready to serve!

My baby brother, Seth, tested this soup and he loves it! Try this simple recipe at home and feed it to your family!