Chef notes
Who doesn’t love slurping up a big bowl of ramen noodle soup that warms your body and soul? Many ramen recipes contain pork or eggs, but this recipe is completely vegan so you can go for seconds and thirds and feel light and energized after eating!
Technique tip: Drain any excess water from your block of extra-firm tofu, then wrap it in paper towels and place a heavy object, such as a cookbook, on top. Let it sit for about 20 minutes while more water releases from the tofu into the paper towels. After this process, your tofu will be ready to soak up the flavors of the sauce!
Swap option: To make the recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free ramen noodles, gluten-free hoisin sauce and gluten-free broth.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried ramen noodles
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
- One 16-ounce extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2½ cups (8 ounces) shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 bunch baby bok choy, coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- One 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
- Toppings: Thinly sliced scallions; sesame seeds; sriracha or chili-garlic sauce (if you like it spicy!)
Preparation
1.Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat.
2.Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water and return to the pot, off the heat.
3.Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the tofu and sear for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy. Add more oil as needed if the pan looks dry. Add the hoisin sauce, then reduce the heat to low and turn the tofu to coat.
4.In a large saucepan, heat the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the mushrooms and bok choy and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft and the bok choy has wilted. Add the garlic, curry powder, and salt and cook for about 1 minute more, until fragrant. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and stir in the coconut milk. Add the cooked ramen noodles and stir until heated through.
5.Ladle the broth and noodles into bowls and top each serving with scallions, sesame seeds, and tofu. If you like a little heat, add a drizzle of sriracha or a dollop of chili-garlic sauce.
Reprinted with permission from "Chloe Flavor: Saucy, Crispy, Spicy, Vegan" by Chloe Coscarelli.
