Ramen bowls and the sought-after #noodlepull have become staples of Instagram, but finding the dish doesn't require a long journey. According to data from Technomic, ramen items on U.S. menus have grown by almost 50 percent over the past five years. Noodle posts have even launched social media personalities: the account @lettucedine, run by two friends who share a love of noodles, has attracted more than 150,000 followers. The recipe below is guaranteed to be a photo opportunity, no matter how you top it.
Info
- Cook time: 40 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 thick slices fresh ginger, plus 2 teaspoons minced
- 4 cloves garlic (3 smashed, 1 minced)
- 2 scallions, cut into thirds, plus sliced scallions for topping
- 3/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 boneless pork chops (1/2 inch thick; about 4 ounces each)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh ramen noodles
- 1 5-ounce package baby spinach
- Shichimi togarashi (Japanese spice mix), for topping
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, 2 1/2 cups water, the sliced ginger, 3 smashed garlic cloves, 2 cut-up scallions, the shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce and rice wine. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, covered, until the mushrooms are soft and the broth is flavorful, 35 to 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- While the broth simmers, mix the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, minced ginger, minced garlic, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl. Prick the pork chops all over with a fork and add them to the bowl; turn to coat. Let them marinate at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Heat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Grill the pork chops until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the pork chops.
- Bring a separate large pot of water to a boil. Gently add the eggs in their shells, return to a simmer and cook for 6 1/2 minutes. Drain and run under cold water. Peel the eggs and cut them in half.
- Return the pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions, stirring often. Drain and divide among 4 bowls.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate pot. Add the spinach and stir until slightly wilted. Ladle the broth and spinach over the noodles and top with the pork, sliced scallions and eggs; season with shichimi togarashi.
Notes
Fresh ramen noodles can be found at Asian supermarkets. Dried noodles work too — simply discard the seasoning packet and boil as the label directs.
