Vegetarian Kimchi Ramen & Jammy Egg
Recipes by: Tristan Guilbeault
Instagram: @tristangcooks
Whole foods are nurturing and nutritious, minimally processed and as close to their natural state as possible. Humans have been eating whole foods for thousands of years. Only in these last 100 years or so have we become so disconnected from the process. Supermarkets now carry many ultra-processed and refined goods, which over time and in abundance can be quite detrimental to your overall health. If you compare a commercial brand of ice cream from fifty years ago to that same one now, the ingredient list has almost tripled! Preservatives and cheaper ingredients have been supplemented because they can and people often just don’t read the label anymore. When shopping for whole foods, pick simple, organic, naturally grown foods and try to read the labels! If it is a simple product like chicken broth, why would there need to be more than 10 ingredients?
I created this recipe here with whole foods in mind. I wanted a savoury and warming dish for these cooler months with a good depth of flavour and of course, it had to be healthy! I wanted to use ingredients that could be easily found at any grocery store with a health section and were approachable and easy to use. I settled on ramen, a Japanese-style soup that typically takes days to make but comes together here in just 30 minutes! I use kimchi for its funkiness, spice and fantastic health benefits. Kimchi is so flavourful that when combined with mushrooms, chicken broth and soy sauce, a luscious broth is created that tastes like it took all day, but it takes less than 30 minutes! A delicious healthy soup centring on whole foods, the broth may be frozen for easy lunch or dinners and the soup can be made with any other toppings you like! This recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free and can be made vegan too!
Vegetarian Kimchi Ramen
Recipe from Tristan Guilbeault
Dietary restrictions: vegetarian, nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, can be made vegan
Total Time: 30 min | (Preparation): 5 minutes | (Cooking): less than 30 minutes
Yields: Feeds 3-4
Ingredients
Vegetarian Kimchi Ramen
● 1 cup chopped Kimchi, of your preferred spice level (we recommend Min’s, Wildbrine, Kartheins)
● 1 container (around 150g) Oyster mushrooms or Lion’s Mane
● 1L Vegetable or Chicken Broth, preferably low-sodium (if vegetarian or vegan, use vegetable broth; for Chicken Bone Broth we recommend Imagine, Pacific)
● ¼ cup dried Shiitake mushrooms, around 4-5
● 1 tbsp Soy Sauce (we recommend Everland, San-J)
● 1 cup Spinach
● 2 tsp toasted Sesame Oil (we recommend Maison, Everland)
● 1 pkg Ramen noodles (we recommend Lotus Natural Foods Brown Rice Millet Ramen)
Garnish
● Jammy Egg, recipe below
● Scallion, chopped
Instructions
1. Place a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Shred the oyster mushrooms, the larger ones can get split into 3-4 strands, medium pieces in half and smaller pieces may be left whole. Add to the pan in batches in two batches, giving time for the mushrooms to brown and release their water. Once hot add to the pot, gently stir and let the mushrooms begin to sweat, 3-4 minutes, take out and set aside. Continue with the other batch. (If you are using a larger bottomed sauce pot, both batches can be done at once.) Then add 2 tsp of oil and add the mushrooms back. Lightly fry the mushrooms for 1 more minute and season with a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the chopped kimchi, stirring every 30 seconds or so for 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the kimchi juice and the soy sauce to deglaze the pan, then add the litre of broth and the shiitake mushrooms. Let it come to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
2. Boil the noodles, set an appropriately sized pot filled with water over high heat and let it come to a boil. Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Taste the noodles, they should be soft but still have a slight bite to them. Drain through a colander and lightly rinse with cold water. Set aside.
3. Season the broth and add the sesame oil. Taste if it needs salt. Finally, add the spinach, turn off the heat and cover with a lid so it can lightly steam.
4. Add one portion of noodles per bowl and spoon the broth over to cover the noodles, use a slotted spoon so each bowl gets equal amounts of kimchi, oyster mushroom and spinach. Top with jammy egg and chopped scallions. Enjoy this delicious, quick, healthy and heartwarming dish.
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS
Ramen is known for its vast array of toppings. Here are some of my favourites, some are harder to find but most stores carry them. Canned bamboo shoots have a subtle neutral flavour with a nice crunch, canned corn has a good sweetness, nori brings an oceany flavour and umami, while radish brings freshness and crunch. Jammy eggs are a non-negotiable for me, if my ramen bowl doesn’t have one, I want one. I have my recipe for jammy eggs included below.
Substitions
I have used mushrooms here to make this recipe vegetarian/vegan friendly, you can also add tofu for more protein but depending on your dietary preferences you can also use shredded chicken or back bacon. Vegetable or chicken broth are what I used, preferably low-sodium. Brown rice noodles resemble traditional ramen noodles the most, buckwheat noodles, soba noodles and other gluten-free varieties may be used. When you go to the health food store you will often find multiple varieties of kimchi, made with different vegetables and spice levels. Pick the one you think you would like, just be wary that the redder it looks, the spicier it will be!
STORAGE
This recipe is made so the broth can be easily frozen and thawed for an easy lunch or dinner. The noodles can be boiled and the broth will be ready to go. The broth can be stored in the freezer or the fridge for up to 5 days. The jammy soy eggs will last a week in the fridge but are best between days 1-2.
For me, no ramen is complete without a soft-boiled egg and if you aren’t vegan and would like to include one, this is my recipe. They will last up to five days in the fridge but will get harder and saltier as more time passes. They are best served after a marination of 24 hours.
Jammy Eggs
Recipe from Tristan Guilbeault
Total Time: A day ahead of time | (Preparation): 2 minutes | (Marination): 24 hours
Ingredients
Jammy Eggs
● 4 Eggs
● 1/2 cup Soy Sauce (we recommend Everland or San-J)
● 1/4 cup Water
● 1/4 cup Chili Oil with sediment (we recommend Seven Spice)
● 1/4 cup Cane Sugar
● 1/2 tbsp roasted Sesame Oil
● 2 pieces of Scallion, chopped
● 1 clove Garlic
● 1/2 knob Ginger
● 2 cloves Star Anise
Instructions
1. Fill a medium-sized pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Add in the eggs one at a time gently, using a slotted spoon. Set a timer for 8 minutes.
2. In a medium-sized bowl add 6 or so ice cubes and enough water so that the eggs will be covered. Once your timer goes off, gently remove the eggs and place in the ice water bath.
3. Make the marinade, combine all ingredients in a small pot, bring to a boil, stir to incorporate and turn off the heat. Let cool. 4. Peel the boiled eggs by gently cracking on the counter and using a spoon to peel the shell. Add the eggs to a suitably sized deli container or mason jar. Once the marinade has slightly cooled down (it should be warm to the touch but not hot) pour over the eggs. Let cool to room temperature, cover and place in the fridge. When serving, remove eggs from the container and let them warm to room temperature, serve with ramen or eat it on a bed of rice with some of the marinade sauce and enjoy!