Ingredients:

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Base:

2 TBSP sesame oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBSP fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

2 stalks scallion, sliced with whites and green tops separated

1/2 tsp chili paste of choice

2 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce

2 TBSP mirin

1/2 sheet nori, torn into strips

4 cups vegetable broth

1 TBSP white miso paste

Noodles of choice (traditional ramen noodles or glass noodles are my favourite)

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Charred pak choi and mushrooms:

2 TBSP sesame oil

4 baby pak choi, halved

100g/3.5oz shiitake mushrooms (oyster work well, too)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

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Crispy shallots:

2 shallots, sliced with rings separated

2 TBSP canola oil

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP corn starch

1/4 tsp salt

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Selection of toppings:

Tofu

Scallions

Fresh garlic

Shredded nori

Sesame seeds

Rayu (Japanese chili oil)

Sesame oil

Sliced red chili or chili flakes

Sprouts

Coconut milk

Sriracha

Shichimi togarashi spice

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Prepare your base:

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1) Heat sesame oil over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add garlic, ginger, and the whites of the scallions. Stir for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

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2) Add soy sauce, mirin, and chili paste. Stir to incorporate - about 2 minutes.

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3) Pour in vegetable broth. Give it a good stir, then add the torn nori. Turn down heat to medium-low, put lid on the top, and simmer for 15 minutes. 

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4) Add miso paste to small bowl and whisk together with a bit of hot broth from the pot. Pour miso mixture into the pot, stir, replace lid, and keep on very low heat until ready to serve. If adding tofu, I usually cube it and add it at this stage. 

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5) In a separate pot, prepare your noodles according to package instructions. I do not indicate a quantity, as I like lots of noodles whereas my husband prefers more broth! Do YOU!

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Fry the shallots:

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6) If you are making the crispy shallots, add to a bowl and sprinkle with salt and cornstarch, tossing to coat well. Add canola oil and olive oil to a fry pan over medium high heat (the combination of the two oils makes for crispy magic!) Fry shallots for a few minutes until golden and crunchy. Remove and set on paper towel-lined plate.

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Fry the pak choi and mushrooms:

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7) If you are making the pak choi (baby bok choi) and shiitake mushrooms, add 2 TBSP sesame oil to a fry pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and stir to coat in oil. After 2 minutes, add the pak choi. Leave it cut-side down and try not to move too often in order to achieve a char. Season with salt and garlic powder, stir well, and then set aside.

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Assemble:

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8) Add noodles to bowl and pour over an few ladlefuls of broth. Add toppings of your choosing (I make it different every time, but no matter the version I always add a drizzle of coconut milk, rayu, fresh garlic, sesame seeds, shichimi togarashi spice, and scallion tops!) 

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Makes 2 GENEROUS servings or 3-4 smaller servings.