SIMPLE CHICKEN RAMEN

Steps:

• Preparation: 1. Cut the mushrooms and finely slice the shallots. 2. Cut the roots off the spring onions and finely slice up to the leaves. 3. Deseed the chilli and slice into half rings. 4. Peel the ginger, then slice longways (julienne) into long thin strips. 5. Finally, in a saucepan, bring the sweetcorn to the boil - this will need to be ready before serving.
• De-bone the chicken thighs and slice the chicken long-ways. Make sure you keep the bones, as these will be used to help flavour the broth. Tip - I prefer to buy roasted chicken thighs from the supermarket, as this helps to save time.
• Add the miso soup/s to 1 litre of boiling water. Add the stock to a medium-sized saucepan, adding the bones from the chicken thighs. Leave to simmer while you cook the other elements of the dish. Note -add water if broth starts to thicken too quickly.
• Using a medium sized frying pan, add the sesame oil and allow time to heat up. Follow with the sliced shallots, gently frying. Add the mushrooms once the onions have started to soften.
• Once the onions and mushrooms start to brown, throw in the ginger and chilli, and cook for a further 3-5 minutes. Next, add the Chinese five spices and star anise, followed by white pepper and salt to taste.
• Cut the garlic gloves in half and crush, before throwing into the broth. Next, pour the contents of the pan into the broth and stew for a further 5-10 minutes. TIP: flavour of the broth can be intensified by gently simmering for 2-4 hours, if timing allows.
• Boil some water in a saucepan, adding the soba noodles. This should take around five minutes. Note - it is not recommended to salt the water as the noodles are quite salty already.
• Plating Up: 1. In a bowl, place the soba noodles into the centre, creating an island. 2. Add the sweetcorn around the edge. 3. Add the spring onions around the edge, following on from the sweetcorn. 4. Place the sliced chicken on top of the noodles. 5. Pour the broth over the chicken and around the bowl, then enjoy!
• BONUS Step: Consider adding a boiled egg (cooked to preference). Then, peel the boiled egg and transfer it to a bowl filled with Soy (add 2x tbsp sugar, 1/8 cup mirin, 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup sake if available). This can be quite time intensive, so best to prepare before starting the broth (allow 2-4 hours to marinade the egg).