Shitake Ramen
Photography: KATE WHITAKER
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Shitake Ramen

Dried shiitake mushrooms make an invaluable addition to the plant-based store cupboard – not only do they add a rich, umami flavour to stocks, stews and broths like this one, they support immunity and are reputed to have cancer-fighting properties. Additionally, this one-pot meal comes with digestion-supporting miso, ginger, garlic and chilli/chile, while calcium-rich tahini maintains good bone health.
Photography: KATE WHITAKER

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Serves
4
Total Time
3 Hours
Ingredients
20g of dried shiitake mushrooms, torn into pieces
2 large banana shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger, peeled & roughly chopped
1 tbsp of sesame oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 tbsp of soy sauce
3 spring onions, white & green parts separated, sliced diagonally
2-3 tbsp of white miso
2 tbsp of tahini
80g of sugar snap peas, halved diagonally
100g of kale, tough stalks removed, torn into small pieces
500g of cooked soba noodles
1 carrot, cut into julienne strips, to serve
1 medium-hot red chilli, thinly sliced diagonally, to serve
2 tsp of toasted sesame seeds, to serve
1 tbsp of dulse or nori flakes, to serve
Method
Step 1

Put the dried shiitake in a heatproof bowl and pour over 300 ml plus 1 teaspoon of just-boiled water from a kettle and leave to hydrate for 30 minutes. Strain the softened shiitake, reserving the soaking liquid. Put the shiitake, shallots, garlic, ginger and 1 tablespoon water in a blender or food processor and blitz to a paste.

Step 2

Heat the sesame oil in a small frying pan over a low heat and fry the shiitake paste for 3 minutes, stirring often. Tip the mixture, including any oil, into the slow cooker pot with 900ml of just-boiled water from the kettle, the soy sauce and white part of the spring onions and stir until combined. Cover and cook for 2-2½ hours on low or 1½-2 hours on high.

Step 3

15 minutes before the end of the cooking time, mix together the miso and tahini and stir into the pot with the sugar snap peas and kale. Cover and finish cooking until the kale has wilted.

Step 4

Divide the cooked noodles between four large serving bowls. Ladle over the vegetables and broth and top with the carrot, chilli, sesame seeds, green part of the spring onions, dulse or nori and an extra drizzle of sesame oil.

Recipe courtesy of Healthy Vegetarian & Vegan Slow Cooker by Nicola Graimes, published by Ryland Peters & Small (£16.99) Photography by Kate Whitaker © Ryland Peters & Small

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