This simple miso, ginger, sesame broth is the perfect back drop to nest of noodles and whatever veggies happen to be in season. French lentils sauteed with onions in a splash of tamari and curry powder add even more flavour to the broth as the spices infuse into the miso. I topped my ramen with steamed broccolini, slices of lacto-fermented chili carrots, fresh garden peas, radish slices, raw curried sauerkraut and home grown micro-greens. If you don’t make your own sauerkraut, try Wild Brine. Veggie combinations are endless so get creative with whatever you have on hand!
Serves 4
The Lentils:
- 1/2 cup pui (french) lentils
- one large yellow onion or leek sliced thinly
- 1/2 tsp. himalayan pink salt
- 3 Tbsp. avocado oil
- 1 Tbsp. curry powder
- 2 Tbsp. tamari
- 1 cup chopped spinach
Combine the lentils in a medium sized saucepan with plenty of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer about 20 min. until tender. Strain and set aside.
In a medium sized fry pan, saute the onions or leeks in the avocado oil with the 1/2 tsp. of salt until translucent. Add the strained, cooked lentils, the curry powder, tamari, and spinach to the onions. Stir well to coat the lentils. Set aside.
The Broth:
- 6 cups water
- 1/2 cup of chickpea miso (any other light miso will substitute if you can’t find chickpea)
- 1 Tbsp. finely grated ginger
- 1 Tbsp. of wheat free tamari
- 1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
Boil the water and grated ginger in a large saucepan. Turn off the heat and then whisk in the miso, tamari and sesame oil. Set aside while you steam your veggies and cook the noodles.
The Veggies:
Prepare a mixture of raw and cooked veggies to add to your ramen. I steamed broccolini but steamed or sauteed asparagus is also delicious! If fresh peas are out of season, frozen peas can be added to the lentil mixture to thaw before adding to the ramen. The curried sauerkraut adds a nice crunch and acidity to the dish not to mention a load of probiotics. I happened to have some fermented carrots on hand but as an alternative carrots cut into match sticks work well. Cilantro can be substituted for the micro-greens if desired.
The Noodles:
I used Lotus Brand rice and millet ramen noodles. (These are really reasonably priced at Costco) Boil the noodles according to the package directions. (Use one noodle cake per person) Strain the noodles and set aside.
Final Assembly:
Distribute the cooked ramen noodles and the curried lentils evenly into each of the 4 bowls. Re-heat the broth if necessary.
Ladle the broth evenly over the noodles. Top with steamed veggies, raw veggies, sauerkraut and micro-greens. Let everyone stir to incorporate the curried lentils into the broth before eating! Serve with a fork and an asian style soup spoon.
