Enhanced Sansai Ramen

Ingredients

Water

8 cups

Dried shiitake mushrooms

4 pieces

Kombu (dried kelp)

1 piece (about 10 inches)

Soy sauce

1/4 cup

Mirin

2 tablespoons

Salt

to taste

Ramen noodles

2 servings (about 200g)

Sansai vegetables (e.g., bracken fern, bamboo shoots, wild mushrooms)

1 cup, blanched

Green onions

2, sliced

Nori (seaweed)

2 sheets, cut into strips

Soft-boiled eggs

2, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large pot, combine 8 cups of water with the dried shiitake mushrooms and kombu. Let it soak for 30 minutes to rehydrate.
2. After soaking, bring the pot to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes to extract the flavors and create a rich broth.
3. Carefully remove the shiitake mushrooms and kombu from the broth, discarding the kombu and slicing the mushrooms for later use if desired.
4. Stir in the soy sauce, mirin, and salt into the broth, adjusting the salt to taste. Keep the broth warm on low heat.
5. In a separate pot, cook the ramen noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
6. Blanch the sansai vegetables in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until tender, then drain and set aside.
7. To serve, divide the cooked ramen noodles into bowls and top with the blanched sansai vegetables.
8. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and vegetables.
9. Garnish each bowl with sliced green onions, soft-boiled eggs, and strips of nori.
10. Serve hot and enjoy the comforting flavors of this traditional Japanese dish!