The broth for this ramen is very light and vegetal, with a nice hint of umami from the kombu. It’s a lovely mild backdrop for the intense saltiness of the miso tare. Tare (pronounced tar-eh) is the intense flavor base that can transform a good stock into umami-rich ramen soup.
This miso tare recipe makes enough for 4 servings, but will last 2 to 3 weeks in your fridge, so feel free to make the whole amount and then cook yourself a single bowl at a time. Store the remaining tare in a jar in your refrigerator. For every 2 cups of broth, stir in 1/4 cup tare. You can easily swap store bought stock for homemade, or replace vegetable stock with mushroom or chicken stock.
The goal with this recipe is ultimate flexibility. Top and garnish your bowl with whatever is convenient and seasonal. We recommend slightly richer accompaniments, such as the baked tofu (recipe below) and roasted winter squash or sweet potatoes. Corn is also very nice, as it adds just a little sweetness, which is accentuated by the salty broth.
Active time: 25 minutes | Inactive Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Difficulty: Moderate | 4 very large or 6 moderate servings
For the vegetable stock:
1 bunch scallions
2 large carrots, cut into large chunks
5 garlic cloves, peeled
3” piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
1 sheet kombu
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
For the miso tare:
1/4 cup sake
3 tablespoons mirin
3 large cloves garlic, grated
2” piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 cup red miso
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 packages (24 ounces) Umi Organic ramen noodles
Optional Toppings:
Baked tofu (see recipe below)
Toasted nori sheets
Chopped scallions, cooked corn, steamed baby bok choy or spinach, roasted sweet potato or winter squash, enoki mushrooms, etc.
Drizzle of chile oil
Directions:
1. In a large pot, combine scallions, carrot, garlic, and ginger. Add 9 cups water, cover, bring to a simmer, and cook 30 minutes. Add kombu and simmer 30 minutes more. Strain, pressing on vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard vegetables. Stir in tamari or soy sauce. Can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator or freezer. Alternatively, substitute store-bought vegetable stock.
2. In a small saucepan, bring sake, mirin, garlic, ginger, and scallion to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in miso, salt, and sesame oil.
3. Bring a very large pot of water to a rapid boil. Gently pull apart and fluff noodles. Add noodles to water and boil 2 minutes, stirring often. Drain well.
4. Add tare to 8 cups piping hot vegetable stock. Alternately, add 1/4 cup tare for every 2 cups stock. Taste and adjust saltiness.
5. To serve, pour hot broth into each bowl. Divide noodles between bowls. Swish noodles around to ensure they loose in the broth. Finish with an extra drizzle of sesame oil, olive oil, or a small pat of butter. Top with your choice of toppings.
Baked Tofu
It also works to panfry tofu, but unless you have a well seasoned cast iron or a non-stick, you risk the tofu sticking and not forming a delectable crispy skin.
Preheat oven to 400℉. Cut 1 pound firm tofu into 1/2” rectangles. On a large baking sheet, place tofu pieces and brush on both sides with 1 tablespoon avocado or other neutral oil and 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce. Bake 15 minutes, flip, and bake 10-15 minutes more or until browned.
