Miso Ramen

Add the water, dried shiitakes and kombu to a large pot. Bring the water to a simmer and cook the dashi for five minutes. Remove the shiitakes and keep them warm on the side (you’ll add them to the final bowl of ramen later on). Discard the kombu. Editor’s Tip: If you’re not making soup right away, remove the kombu and shiitakes and let the broth cool to room temperature. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for a month.

In a large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced green onion, minced ginger and garlic. Cook them until they’re fragrant, then add them to the dashi.

Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind the toasted sesame seeds into a fine powder, then add them to the dashi.

Add the red miso paste to the dashi. Stir until the miso is completely dissolved.

Add the soy sauce, almond milk and sesame oil. Reduce the heat, and let the broth simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Once it’s done simmering, turn the heat off and place the lid on to keep the dashi warm. Editor’s Tip: It’s important to taste and adjust the flavor as you cook. If the dashi needs more salt, add more soy sauce. If it needs more umami, add another teaspoon or two of miso paste. Once you add the milk, avoid letting the dashi boil, or you’ll curdle the milk.

Cook the ramen noodles according to the package directions. Divide the noodles evenly into two bowls. Editor’s Tip: Be sure to strain the noodles and rinse them with cold water to prevent overcooking.

Meanwhile, prepare the ramen toppings you want to use: For the eggs: Place the eggs in a single layer in a small saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Cover the pot with the lid and quickly bring the water to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, and let it stand for six minutes. Immediately place the eggs in a bowl of ice water to cool. Once they're cooled, remove the shells and slice the eggs in half. For the bok choy and asparagus: In a large saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add the bok choy and asparagus, and cook them, uncovered, until the bok choy turns bright green, one to two minutes. Remove the bok choy and immediately submerge it in ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain the water and pat the bok choy dry. Slice the bok choy in half, lengthwise, and set it aside. For the tofu: In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat. Toss the tofu in a bowl with the cornstarch. Add the tofu to the pan, and cook it until the edges are golden brown, five to seven minutes. Remove the tofu from the pan and keep it warm. For the eggplant, cabbage and chard: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables, and cook them until they’re tender and browned, five to seven minutes. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Remove them from the pan, and keep them warm.

Ladle the dashi over the noodles in the bowls. Arrange the hard-boiled eggs, vegetables and tofu over the noodles. Add the carrots, corn and green onions. Garnish the ramen with optional toppings as desired.