COOKBOOK CHALLENGE

Editor Keith Kendrick finds comfort in easy noodle bowls and broths

by Makiko Sano

I ’ve added a new comfort food to my repertoire. It ticks all my boxes: planning ahead, batchcooking, speedy assembly. That dish is ramen – the savoury Japanese broth to which you add noodles and whatever else you fancy. I’ve become obsessed with it, making litres of collagen-rich stock by cooking chicken wings with water, spring onions, garlic and ginger in my pressure cooker to tub up and chill for super-simple midweek meals. It’s healthy, incredibly tasty and so satisfying – the proverbial soul in a bowl. My inspiration comes from Makiko Sano’s cookbook, a comprehensive guide to creating ramen, plus 80 classic and innovative recipes.

Makiko explains the four cornerstones of a bowl of ramen: tare, broth or dashi (meaning extracted liquid), noodles and toppings. Each of these components is described, including different types of tare (think of a dipping sauce that you add to your bowl before pouring in the broth: my go-to is Makiko’s, made with light and dark soy sauces, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar and mirin), various broth options (animal-based, seafoodbased and vegetarian), and the six types of ramen noodles, categorised by thickness. There’s also a wealth of information on toppings, from chashu (roasted or braised pork belly) to boiled eggs, vegetables, mushrooms, seaweed and more. Makiko spotlights five popular styles of ramen: tonkotsu, miso, shoyu, shio and tsukemen. While some ingredients may be harder to find, Makiko provides alternatives. The key is creating layers of flavours and textures. Start with the tare, then add broth, noodles, meat or veg, and garnish for a wondrous dish.