Oh my oh my, another tempeh recipe, if you’d told me two years ago I’d be eating tempeh I would not have believed you. And boy do I get argumentative when I think you’re full of it. it’s not always pleasant for the full of it person… or me when it turns out I was in the wrong. But I’m into tempeh now… well sometimes, when it’s cooked in ways I actually like. And this definitely is one of those ways.

This is not a true ramen with a broth made over many hours. It’s more a mid week meal version of ramen with a broth made in the time it takes to cook everything else. You should be simmering it for 15 – 30 minutes before straining to get some flavour in there.

The tempeh in this is cooked to resemble the mince you’d find in ramen, the miso and tahini it’s cooked with add an umami flavour to it and browning it in the pan adds an extra depth of flavour. it makes for a super delicious ramen.

I love making this with long thin strips of carrot and daikon and using a medley of carrot colours mostly because of the pretty colours, not because of flavour. The daikon can be replaced with radish if you can’t find it, both add that peppery flavour but the daikon is a little more mild.

You can use your preferred noodle in here, i love the ramen noodles but buckwheat soba also works well. This is the perfect vegan ramen, but if you’re not vegan you can make it a vegetarian ramen and add a soft boiled egg.

Serves 2

Ingredients

250g tempeh, roughly diced so it resembles mince

1 Tbs roughly chopped ginger

2 smashed cloves garlic

1 Tbs miso paste + 1 tsp

2 Tbs tahini

1 spring onion

3 carrots, use a vegetable peeler or mandolin to make ribbons

1/2 small daikon (cut like carrots) or 2 radish, finely sliced

90g ramen

1 tbs grated ginger

1 tsp tamari

2 cups shredded Tuscan kale

Directions

Fill a pot with 1 litre water add 1 tbs ginger, the white part of spring onion, garlic cloves and miso paste. Bring to a boil and simmer while you do the rest.

Cook ramen according to packet directions, set aside, reserving hot water if using eggs (vegetarian version). Bring back to the boil and boil the eggs gently for 6 minutes 30 seconds, then place in cold water.

Meanwhile, add a slosh of olive oil to a wok or fry pan  when hot add the chopped tempeh along with 2 tbs finely sliced spring onion (green part only) 1 Tbs finely grated ginger, 1/4 cup of your broth and 1 tsp tamari or soy, 1 tsp miso and 1 tsp tahini. Stir fry until golden and looks like mince.

Remove tempeh and add 2 cups of finely sliced kale with a little extra oil (can use Sesame) and stir fry for 2 mins until softened.

Remove 1/4 cup of the broth and mix with the remaining tahini in a cup and when smooth add back into the broth. This should stop it from getting grainy when you add the tahini. Strain broth then return to the heat.Taste the broth and add tamari if it needs salt. Bring back to the boil.

Place kale and noodles on bottom of bowls and top with carrots and tempeh then fill bowls with the hot broth. Top with the peeled and halved egg if using.

HH. x