Everyday Food | Tasty ramen and minced meat soup is made so quickly at home that it almost feels like a cheat
It almost feels like a cheat that such a rich flavor can be created in such a short time.
In a restaurant, a ramen dish may be brought to the diner in a few minutes, but in reality, the broth in ramen soup is usually boiled for a long time. Fortunately, there is a recipe that is suitable for everyday life that will make a tasty noodle soup with ground beef in 15 minutes.
The broth for quick noodle soup is first seasoned with miso paste. White miso, or shiro miso, creates a milder and slightly sweeter broth. Red miso, or aka miso, makes the broth richer and more intense. At least the paste found on the shelves of larger grocery stores is usually a generic miso that represents the middle ground between these two. All options work for this recipe.
The broth is further seasoned with mirin sauce, which rounds out the soup's flavor and saltiness. Mirin is a sweet, savory rice-based sauce that can be found in many regular stores.
The firm texture of wheat noodles is particularly suitable for this soup, as they absorb the flavor without becoming too soft. Ramen noodles can also be replaced with udon noodles. The soup also works well with rice noodles, for example.
It is best to cook the noodles in a separate, large pot of boiling water until they are almost cooked. It is not recommended to cook them directly in the soup broth, as this will cause the broth to curdle.
Now in season, domestic leeks bring a fresh flavor to the soup. Thinly sliced, fresh leeks have a sweetness and crunch that brings to mind summer peas.
You can freely adjust the side dishes according to your own preferences. The recipe uses baby spinach in addition to leeks, but sugar snap peas and sprouts are also suitable. If you need more protein, you can supplement the soup with a ramen egg.
