How to make healthy choices every day

Ramen Revisited + How to make Dashi

Amen Ramen // My New Roots

My parents made my lunch every day that I was in school from the time I was barely old enough to hold a brown paper bag, right up until my last days of high school. It was always exactly the same format, with slight variations: sandwich, juice box, granola bar, piece of fruit. Pretty standard fare for most of my peer group if I remember correctly, and I never complained about it. That is until the day I peered over my bologna-on-a-bun to see Alexis at the popular kids’ table in the junior high cafeteria slurping over what looked like a rather foreign and intriguing styrofoam cup of something hot and tasty.

“Oh, that’s Mr. Noodles”, my best friend Julie said, and went on to explain that all you had to do was pour boiling water into the cup and wait a few minutes before eating the noodle soup-like meal. I looked down at my cold, relatively flavourless, pedestrian food and felt left out. Not only was I totally un-cool, but suddenly my lunch was too. Could life get any worse?!

I ran home and told my mom about the cup noodles and begged her to buy some at the store, promising her that this could not only save her time, but most importantly, my lunchroom reputation. “Don’t you want me to be popular?!”, I wailed. Convinced this was my ticket to the promised land of spin-the-bottle and weekend shopping mall hang-outs, I persuaded her to invest the fifty cents on a couple trials and see what all the fuss was about. When she came home I had the kettle boiled and ready to get down to business.

Folding back the paper lid, I spotted a magical little package of flavoured powder inside, which I read was meant to be emptied into the cup before adding the water. A couple shriveled, token peas fell out amongst the dust and my mom looked pleased to see green. The boiling water was added, I closed the lid again and waited – the longest four minutes of my life thus far. But oh, what ceremony! What rapture! The timer on my ironman wristwatch beeped, I stirred the cup, and dug in.

It was salty. Very salty. That’s about all I can recall. The noodles, semi-cooked and crispy in parts were underwhelming and bland, while the broth, if I can all it that, was shockingly saline. But none of that mattered. I would have eaten cow dung if it meant sitting next to Alexis. I finally had the answer to the question of cafeteria coolness.

Amen Ramen // My New Roots

Needless to say, eating ramen did not initiate me into the popular crowd, nor did it inspire a great love of this ubiquitous, cheap eat canonized by hung-over college kids everywhere. Until very recently this had been my only experience with ramen. But when yet another ramen recipe request landed in my inbox, I knew it was time to revisit this famous dish.

It needs to be said that instant ramen is a far cry from its traditional roots of noodles in broth, which when prepared properly with care and intention, can be utterly delicious. I suppose it’s like most things that go from revered, regional dish to the freezer section of the gas station’s grocery aisle, or worse. Shouldn’t these things receive a different name or label in respect to the original recipe? It’s somewhat maddening, but I surrender to the fact that there is only so much I can change in this world.

Amen Ramen // My New Roots

The backbone of all ramen is the broth, or dashi. Dashi is a clear stock that is traditionally made using kombu, Japanese sea kelp, and katsoubushi or bonito, dried fish. Other dashi bases can include shiitake mushrooms, and because my recipes are plant based, I’ll be showing you how to make this variety and the kombu one today. Once you have this base, you can spike your dashi with shallots, garlic, ginger, miso, etc. but today we’re keeping things simple and I leave the fun and improvisation to your ramen-hungry minds.

Toppings vary widely, but vegetarian ingredients can include noodles (obviously), mushrooms, strips of nori or other tasty sea veggies, greens, spring onions, shredded cabbage, kimchi, garlic, and the ever-so-popular soft-boiled egg. If you are vegan, simply leave this ingredient out – it’s the only animal product in the recipe and still delicious without it. The one thing I love about ramen is its versatility and infinitely customizable combinations to suit every season, taste, and budget.

ramen5

On Salt, Sodium and Finding a Balance
The big bad deal with packaged ramen and its accompanying powdered broth or “flavour packet” is the incredibly high sodium content, some brands containing an entire day’s worth in just one serving! On the flip side, making your own dashi allows you to control the sodium level and provide you with balanced saltiness for overall wellbeing.

Sodium is not only important to us, our survival depends on it. Its role in the human body is to work in conjunction with potassium to maintain cellular fluid levels, acid/alkaline balance, and keep the nerves and muscles functioning properly. Sodium plays a role in hydrochloric acid production in the stomach, and is used during the transport of amino acids from the gut to the blood.

Because sodium is needed to maintain blood fluid volume, excessive sodium can result in increased blood volume and elevated blood pressure, especially if the kidneys are compromised in any way and unable to clear it efficiently. Hypertension and premenstrual problems are more frequent in people who have a high salt intake, especially when there is a relatively low level of potassium in the diet to counteract it. Virtually all whole unprocessed plant foods contain more potassium than sodium. Grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens, offer ten to several hundred times more potassium, and yet the average American is said to be deficient in potassium. Although there is no standard ratio of sodium to potassium to recommend, eating a balanced, whole foods diet (surprise!) is the best way to achieve equilibrium.

So how much sodium should be eating in a day? First it needs to be established that sodium and salt are two different things. The salt we consume is in fact a combination of two ions, sodium and chloride, in percentages of roughly 40% and 60%. Most nutrition experts agree that sodium intake on a daily basis should not exceed 2 grams per day. This amount is equal to 5 grams of salt, or 1 teaspoon. Yup. That’s it. Put into those terms, it’s easy to see how one could overdo it…by lunch hour.

To avoid excess sodium intake, limit processed foods. As I mentioned above, a little recon revealed that some instant ramen brands cover the daily sodium base in just one serving. Yikes! Sodium lurks in some very unexpected places, so be savvy and read labels. To be extra cautious avoid high-salt foods such as commercially-prepared pickles, olives, and saurkraut, canned and instant soups, processed cheese, condiments like ketchup, barbeque sauce, gravy, alfredo sauce, salad dressings, mayonnaise, soy sauce, snacks foods like chips, salted peanuts and pretzels, crackers, and boxed breakfast cereal. Remember, cooking for yourself is the only way to know exactly what you are getting in your food.

Amen Ramen // My New Roots

There are a few things that need to be mentioned about this recipe.

First, you need to start the process the night before (or the morning of) by simply soaking the dashi ingredients in water and set in the fridge. This is how you make the broth. You can hurry the process by cooking the ingredients in hot water if you’re in a rush, but the results are better if you follow this slower method (plus, your fridge does all the work). I will also say that traditional dashi is delicate and mild-flavoured, unlike the instant dashi that is saltier and stronger due to the addition of artificial, chemical flavour enhancers. When you try the dashi for the first time, try not to compare it to the ramen broth you’ve had in the past – this is the real deal. Appreciate its clean, pure taste and it subtlety, and add tamari or miso only as needed to enhance the natural flavour.

Second, you can make and enjoy the dashi bases separately if you like, or combine the two for a more complex flavour. I really like the combination of the kombu and shiitake dashi together. They both contain good amounts of umami, so united they deliver a deep, multifaceted taste experience without the meat.

Third, get organic ingredients if you can. Sea vegetables and mushrooms are both like little sponges in their respective environments so finding the cleanest and highest quality you can is a good idea.

Finally, purchase the most high-vibe ramen noodles you can find. The other reason I was inspired to write this recipe and post was because of all the incredibly awesome ramen I’ve seen at the health food store. Made with whole grains, some of them even gluten-free, I couldn’t say no! Now, you could make your own noodles if you like (this is an art I greatly admire) but in the interest of saving a smidgen of time, buy yourself some noodles and get to the ramen even faster.

 

*   *   *   *   *   *

My New Roots - Inspired Plant-Based Recipes for Every Season

Hey everyone! My book comes out today!!! I am so ridiculously excited to see this day arrive and the book arrive in your homes and kitchens. The reviews have been so positive so far and for that, I thank you. Please note that although most stores in North America that are carrying the book should have it in stock today, some may take a few days to longer. If you want to purchase the book online, there are many retailers listed here.

I would like to take this time to acknowledge the couple of misprints in the book. During the editing process the following mistakes were made: on page 21, the ghee recipe is labeled vegan. On page 241-242 buckwheat and spelt switched places so that buckwheat is in the gluten-containing section of the grains chapter, while spelt is in the gluten-free section.

In other news, my Vancouver tour dates and events have been confirmed! Here is where and when you can find me in Van city (this will be my first time there, can you believe it?!). Click the links for more details and ticket information.

April 15: Burdock and Co. Collaborative Dinner + Book Signing
April 16: Whole Foods Cambie Cooking Demo + Book Signing
April 17: Interview + Afternoon Tea with CBC’s Sheryl MacKay
Barbara Jo’s Books to Cooks Dinner Event + Book Signing

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Also, check out my most recent interview over at the gorgeous site, The Coveteur.



141 thoughts on “Ramen Revisited + How to make Dashi”

  • I bought your cookbook Saturday evening… It is so lovely! Iam on a glutenfree, dairy free,sugar free diet due to health issues and found plenty of delicious things to make in the future! Congratulations on your book! It is going to be on my favorites list!

  • I made this last night for my family. Everyone loved it! I let the dashi hang out in the fridge for a few days instead of overnight only. I added pinch of salt to the broth while simmering and it had great flavor! Thank you for so many wonderful recipes! This hit the spot on a cool evening.

  • Hello! I know I’m SO late in the game, but I had a couple questions! Does it matter if you use other mushrooms? And what’s the difference between baby bok choy and…grown up bok coy? I accidentally got the wrong kind. Will it make a difference?

  • Hi Sara, first I wanted to say that I made the life changing bread and it came out delicious. Second, I was wondering, is it possible to find dried shiitakes without sulfate?
    Thank you, Shelly

  • I pinned this recipe ages ago and finally made it last night for dinner. It was so easy and it turned out absolutely delicious! I don’t know what made me wait so long to make it but I’m glad I did. I think it will be going in my regular rotation now!

  • Hello,

    I made this soup a few days ago. It was delicious. Yet yesterday my boy friend woke up covered with itchy red pimples. Today we discovered that he has shiitake dermatitis due to the consumption of raw shiitake. I sliced some one the soup like shown on your pictures. We had the soup twice that day. Too much for him. I am fine. Yet it all over the internet that raw shiitake souls not be eaten. As your site is health oriented you should consider mentioning that fact.
    Cheers from France.
    Estelle

    • Hi Estelle,

      So sorry to hear that! Yikes!
      I actually sautéed the mushrooms in my soup, and the directions clearly call for that step. I hope you try it again, with or without the shiitake!

      All my best to you both,
      Sarah B

      • Actually, your recipe does not actually specify sautéing the mushrooms. It just says “slice the rehydrated shitake mushrooms”…

      • With regard to the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms , no where does it say to sauté the mushrooms. Please correct this omission. Thank you.

  • Excellent excellent recipe. I thoroughly enjoyed it so much that I ate the whole bowl by myself in one sitting. Thanks!

  • Wow, yummy. I really love ramen but I rarely make it myself because I always think that it’s so difficult. But this recipe isn’t difficult at all, so I think I will try your recipe. By the way, do you use Nitamago for your ramen? It’s really nice. Thank you for your post!

  • Being a rather earnest ramen enthusiast I’ve tried to look around in order to scrounge up all of the components needed for a proper bowl of ramen. Even going so far as to try and hunt down information in the various video games I play.
    Having done said work, I’ve begun to wonder if ramen soup broth is in fact a mix of other stocks/flavor bases and the Dashi stock. Consider this:
    Generally there are 4 different ramen broth types and 3 of them have 2 additional condiments to manipulate the flavor.
    In addition, Dashi is mentioned as a core part of Ramen, but only in some places. Perhaps some shops consider their dashi and how they make it an important secret?
    This might also explain why people have such trouble when making the soup flavorful according to this recipe, an important piece is either missing or was overlooked by the readers: the broth type!

  • Hey, this looks delish, could you please tell me which miso did you use? light, mild or strong one? Thank you <3

  • Omg this looks so delicous!! I’ve never eaten Ramen in Vietnam, for real cuz Japanese restaurants in Vietnam are rare and mostly they’re pretty expensive. So great i happened to read this post today.! gonna try making this tomorrow 🙂
    Great post anyways!!

  • Dear Sarah,
    You are my heroine. I follow many food blogs but yours is clearly on a higher level. I made your mole sauce last week, that was a big win, and tonight we made ramen. Oh.My.God. I don’t understand the comments that say that your dashi doesn’t have any flavour ?! Thank you for this great content. I have ordered your book for Xmas!

  • use as fabulous wall sconces. The light colored wood and rawhide lacing of the shoe, combined Super Bowl logo the more regular forms of exercise. Free-running is a sport that emphasizes full shared his discovery of small, black, hardened specks on the chest and testicles at the point

  • I love that most of the recipes are vegan or easily veganizable. I love this recipe, too, looks delicious. Maybe simple to me. I can’t wait to make it.

  • Unfortunately, I made this and it just tasted like lightly flavored water. It was super disappointing. I had to add lots of miso, soy sauce, and hot sauce to get it to taste like something (yup, that does defeat the purpose of this healthy recipe…but I need flavor!).

    • Looooong time reader here! Sara, I just want to say I love, love, love your blog and your recipes. I love learning about healthy food and just drooling over your photos.

      As a Japanese Canadian, however, I do want to point out a few things that you’ve mentioned in this post.

      1. The broth that you’ve made for these noodles are more for udon (thick noodles) or soba (buckwheat). In which case you are totally correct, dashi is the very important base for the broth! The base for ramen broth, however, is always meat based – primarily pork, but sometimes chicken. I have yet to recreate a good vegetarian ramen broth because of this, but also because ramen broth is very complicated to make(sometimes whole apples are thrown in to add sweetness)! Ramen shops usually work for years to perfect their broth and recipes are highly guarded secrets.

      2. I think Sara has created a recipe where you can (and should! it looks so healthy) drink the soup that comes with your noodles. In Japan, however, while you should drink up some of the broth, you are not expected to drink ALL of the soup. This is because the broth/soup is very, very salty and taking in that much sodium can be bad for you! But the broth needs to be as salty as it is, so that it still adds flavour to the noodles!

      For people living in Toronto, there is a ramen shop called Isshin that I regularly go to that has a big selection of AMAZING vegetarian ramen. This place has been the only place, for me, that has successfully recreated a vegetarian version of the rich and super flavourful ramen broth/soup!

    • I agree. I was SO disappointed with this recipe and had such high hopes. The picture looks delicious but the actual soup tasted like absolutely nothing. I had to add salt and Sambal Oelek to make it even taste like anything. Ugh. Waste of effort. 🙁

      • Same story… The taste was flat and the ingredients were kinda separate because they were not cooked all together.

  • Hi Sarah! I make this kind of east asian stock in winter for heart warming noodle dishes. I loooooove noodles of any kind. A tip from my Korea mother; don’t throw away those spring onion roots. Wash them well and freeze them, and next time you make a ramen stock, put a couple of them in, and I promise you, the stock will taste even better! Thanks for the great blog by the way. I’ve been reading it for a couple of years now. xo Angela

  • This looks so delicious. Even though it’s an ice cream kinda day here, I’d totally dig in to this (sans egg of course!). 🙂

  • I love the fact that ramen is so much more than those crap noodles you can get for under a dollar. REAL ramen is totally delicious, and very good for you, and comes with so many different options to have on it as well.

  • This is a great recipe. SOOOOO delicious.
    Thank you so much for sharing it! Simple and fresh tasting.

    Looks good. Hope its delicious although never tasted it before. Anyway,
    thanks for the post and good luck.

  • Never saw such dishes in my life anywhere. But hope its delicious. Now my mouth is watering. Anyway, thanks for the post. Hope to make this dish one day.

  • Hey Sarah,

    Great recipe for ramen, I can’t wait to try cook it and eat it of course. I love eating ramen ever since I was a teenager. I have upgraded from self from packets of ramen that you can buy in store to more authentic ramen. It’s time for people to appreciate authentic and organic food rather than fast food and processed food, its bad for our health. Ramen is a delicious all-in-one meal, hope you have more recipes for ramen.

  • Hi Sarah,

    Thank you for taking the time to write this out – I love your blogs for this reason. They’re not just a story, nor a recipe – they’re a guide. So useful and personal too! I look forward to making veggie dashi and ramen soon using this.

    Besma (Curiously Conscious)

  • Hey Sarah,

    Thanks for the bagel that I shared with my husband sitting beside you.

    Looked around your web site a bit, not all of it because it will take me some time to read the healthy recipes. I am liking it already, seen your video on nut milk and celeraic. I have made almond milk and dashi at home. I do like to dabble in the kitchen and experiment.

    It is an honor to have met you!

  • Dear Sarah,
    Hoping your travels are going well, you must be worn out by now! Do hope you have been able to have some down time with your family.
    Your book is lovely and such a great resource. Well done.
    I look forward to your next post but am being very patient 🙂
    Sincerely Jules from Sale Victoria Australia

  • I can NOT believe I missed you! Heard your interview on CBC Radio this morning and kicked myself that I missed out on meeting you!! ARGH. Well, next best thing I suppose is I am going to order your cook book to sell in my store…

    Sarah, I used to have Delish Mag and I emailed you way back then about that. I have since opened a wonderful little store on Granville Island. And one day soon we will resurrect the magazine too!

    Hope to meet you one day…when I am more on top of things!!
    Congratulations to you! Anything you write is a must-have!!
    Tamara

  • Just heard your CBC interview this morning. You were fabulous, very inspiring and funny. Need to pick up your book and make some changes. Thanks for the great blog.

  • Sara, thank you for another wonderful, heartfelt post! Your personality shines through your writing without fail, every time. I can totally relate to the days of lunchroom distress. I used to eat ramen at my best friend’s house whenever possible since it was so not allowed in my house let alone my homely brown bag lunches. Those were the days, such a rebel. Thanks again for your beautiful stories, you are an inspiration to me as I begin my own food blogging journey! Blessings abound!

  • Sarah,
    I’m pretty sure I’m the Mr. Noodle eating Alexis you speak of in this post. Just wanted to say that I am still a ramen lover but would much rather eat the lovely version you’ve created here. In fact my husband and I make many healthy and funky ramen variations at home. Also – congratulations on your new book! I’ve been a fan of the blog for some time…who’s the cool kid now 🙂 All the best! Alexis

  • Oh my. This looks delicious. I love real food…and that you are sharing tasty recipes with gorgeous photography.
    We are getting ready to hit the road to explore what we eat, one ingredient at a time. It should be quite an adventure! http://f2ta.com

  • I used my allowance to buy ramen packs since the “cool kids” brought them in their lunches to eat the noodles dry, like crackers. Thankfully they were about 25 cents a pack when I was young. I completely understand your plight. I have been looking for a vegan broth to put my now grown-up version of ramen noodles in, since I am a cool kid, thank you very much. Ha! This one looks great, simple and healthful. PS I recently purchased your book as a gift to myself for finishing my exams and I am wow’ed by your recipe ideas and photography. I love how summer is divided into two chapters since they are so different and I definitely like to eat my fill of summer produce. Congrats!

  • My book finally came in the mail yesterday! It’s gorgeous, totally Sarah and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into it. I couldn’t stop reading last night and all of a sudden it was 1am! Sarah, you are by far my favourite whole-foods chef. Your creations are so balanced nutritionally and in terms of flavour, they sing to me. You’ve changed my life these past few years and I just want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU!

  • Dear Sarah, I can completely relate with your ramen experience, which is probably why I have stayed clear of anything ramen. I suppose I should give this a try, as I do love asian dishes. Going along the asian trend, I was wondering what kind of sea vegetables you use most often and how you incorporate them in your dishes. I would love to eat more sea veggies but I usually stick to nori sheets. Thank you and I am definitely going to purchase your book anytime soon! love, Hadewych

  • Your beautiful book arrived yesterday morning!
    Sooner than expected and so welcome. I browsed through it sitting in the unexpected sunny and warm sunshine we are having in Wales for the Easter break.
    I have been checking out the ice-cream and sorbet recipes (my sister had an ice-cream maker for Christmas!)
    Thank you Sarah 🙂

  • I agree with what Celeste and others said about your book being beautiful, and your blog being such an inspiration over the past several years since a friend told me about it. Thank you for taking the same care in the quality and artistry of the book as you do in your recipes. To me it is another representation of the level of integrity you invest in what you do. Congrats and, again, thank you!

  • Amazing recipe Sarah! I am going to give it a try as soon as I get home in my kitchen, Ramen is my guilty pleasure when it comes to processed foods. Did you see this post about making your own instant Ramen?
    http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/09/diy-instant-noodle-cups-food-lab.html . It works, I even went to Bed Bath and beyond to get exactly that glass. (I am ramen crazy)
    Any tips on how to make that work with your recipe?
    Also congrats on the cookbook, will also order it when I am back home.

  • Your ramen looks so soul warming and nourishing. Will definitely attempt a vegan version of it. Thank you for detailed instructions.

  • I have to laugh about doing crazy things to get in with the popular kids – and it not really working. I think my chosen ways to try always involved clothing. Thankfully we are a bit older and wiser. I know I’ve had ramen noodles and thought the same thing – salty. They have to add that much to cover up the horrible taste – or lack thereof. Your version looks positively nourishing. I eat a mostly plant-based diet, but there’s this little farm out on the “north side” where they rescue hens and they get to retire in the “henny penny” hen house. I occasionally purchase their happy eggs – but only from that one farm. This would be a wonderful dish to reverently enjoy them in!

  • Am loving the new book! Butter poached radishes and dandelion greens for the second time this week! Have also tried and love the freekah pancakes. Hmm what to try next?
    Best of luck to you!

  • Your. Book. I mean Wow! It arrived yesterday. I was sort of, ya know, over the super healthy, precious cooking. But as soon as I unpacked your book, it was so beautiful that I could not put it down for two hours. I am so inspired to go back to the kitchen and nourish. Thank you, Sarah. Wow! Amazing.

  • Congratulations on the book Sarah! I can’t wait for my copy to arrive. I can’t believe this will be your first trip to Vancouver. Hope I can make it to one of your events while you are here!

  • Finally got your book today. It is beautiful. Thanks for all the lovely and healthy new recipes! I am off to the kitchen now. 😉

  • I bought your cookbook Saturday evening… It is so lovely! Iam on a glutenfree, dairy free,sugar free diet due to health issues and found plenty of delicious things to make in the future! Congratulations on your book! It is going to be on my favorites list!

  • I’ve been making dashi for years, it’s a staple in our kitchen. I’m just so tickled see it show up on the blog, Sarah B. So much creative potential with this kind of stock!

  • Hi Ms. Britton,
    I found your blog just by happenstance, as I was looking for a whole foods, plant-based and some dairy cookbook/blog. Every since, I have been mention others about your site and also your cookbook, which I just received and am excited to delve headlong into. I appreciate having a cookbook at my fingertips that is rich in healthiness and enthusiasm.
    Thank you.
    valerie

  • Your new cookbook arrived at my front door a few days ago & I just want to say – it is absolutely gorgeous! The recipes have me drooling – I can’t wait to start cooking my way through all of them! (well, almost all – I will have to avoid those that aren’t gluten-free 🙁 )
    Congratulations – & thank you so much for your amazing ideas & recipes! 🙂

  • Book arrived on Friday. I’ve already been through it twice. Thank you thank you thank you…..

  • Thanks, can’t wait to try this. Will we get your book in South Africa? Love your blog, thank you for the chat on sodium in this post.

  • Pingback: weekending
  • I picked up your cookbook yesterday & it is SO beautiful! I want to make everything all at once! I LOVE that most of the recipes are vegan or easily veganizable. I really appreciate that! Congrats on a super gorgeous & delicious book!

  • Hi Sarah I have been a huge fan since discovering your ‘best ever lentil salad’ recipe, which I have made and passed on to many friends. Would love to get a hold of your book. Can we do so in Australia? Love receiving your newsletters to. Thanks so much.
    Linda

  • How long does the dashi last in the fridge – can you keep for a few days? Awesome stuff, as always. Thank you!

  • I recommend buckwheat ramen which is naturally gluten free and is similar to soba noodles. The brand I use is King Soba and I picked it up in a health food store in Toronto. It’s a lot higher in fibre than wheat ramen, but be careful not to overcook!

    Alternatively, I sometimes skip noodles and replace them with enoki mushrooms instead, because they have a similar consistency, shape and colour.

    Thanks Sarah for the wonderful post. I am such a fan of ramen and the endless and fast possibilities is provides.

  • Book arrived yesterday!!! I want to make that one, and that one, and that one, and that one, and that one . . .
    Congratulations!!!

  • Whoah, what an amazing post!! 😀
    Brought back so many memories. I was a Japan nerd in my teens (well, I guess I still am) and I was dying to try ramen, and the first time I did was at a japanese fair where they had the famous Cup Noodles. They sucked, but I was so happy to try them that they remained in my heart since. Trying authentic ramen in NY a couple years later was quite a shock!
    Thank you for this great post. I have been dying to make my own vegetarian ramen 🙂

  • Can’t wait to try this recipe! Also, looking forward to getting my copy of your cookbook! P.S. The Coveteur interview was great! I laughed really hard at the part about your ex suggesting you “start a blog for people who really care about your food endeavors!” So glad you did 🙂

  • Amazing recipe and photos! I am so into this…thank you! And then, as I was reading your blog, the postman came with a package and it was my My New Roots Cookbook!! OMG!! I was so excited! I had to fly out of NY that night, took it with me for the flite to LA, and was reading it on the plane, and my seatmates were all so curious…I think you may have another 3 book orders coming along just from that flight! Thank you and congratulations!!

  • LOVE your new cookbook! I bought a copy for myself and also sent a copy to my niece, who’s away from home at her first year of college. We baked your Life-Changing crackers together while she was home on spring break last week, and she’s already baked another batch on her own. Best of luck to you!

  • I rarely comment on blog posts, but I just wanted to say that your recipes are cooked a LOT in my kitchen! Thank you for always giving me inspiration! I just got an e-mail that your book has been dispatched, I can’t wait for it to arrive!

  • Just received your cookbook in the mail! Wonderful!! Have ordered 2 more for friends! It is so refreshing to see pictures and comments all through the book. It’s what I love about your blog and now – your cookbook! Thanks for this wonderful addition to my shelf!

  • Dear Sarah,

    I woke up today feeling a bit down, but a few hours later the doorbell rang and you book was brought to my doorstep. Finally being able to flip through the pages has made my day and I haven’t been able to take my eyes of it since.. I just wanted to say congratulations, i’t such a beautiful book and you should be very proud!

  • thanks for the lovely recipe. It brings back memories of growing up in Hawaii and eating Saimin. Now if I can find the list of ingredients in Madrid I’ll be very happy.

  • Hi Sarah! I am most excited over your Vancouver tour dates…Burdock and Co is a beautiful little spot, and Andrea does amazing things; speaking of Ramen, get to her other location, Harvest for bowls of heavenly veggie goodness. Also in case you have a spare moment for a memorable meal, The Acorn is Vancouver’s top vegetation restaurant, located only a fee blocks from Burdock. I hope you enjoy mg beautiful city!

  • Gorgeous recipe, Sarah! So bummed that I’m missing your Vancouver appearance by just one stinkin’ year, but have hope that you’ll someday venture to this land of alpine flowers & raw cheese :-).
    I’ve always wondered about the nutritional requirements of sodium being so low vis-à-vis traditional peoples liberal use of salt & in my research have found that table salt (which is, as you mention,just sodium + chloride) is way different than something like a traditional sun-dried sea salt (which contains lots of minerals + electrolytes as well). There’s a nutrition-nerd book by Dr. Jacques de Langues called “Seasalt’s Hidden Powers” that’s a vonderbar resource for all salty-inquires. <3 from Switzerland!

  • Oh Sarah I am “ridiculously excited” that your book is on its way to me in Australia. I shall do a happy dance when it arrives!

  • Because I grew up on instant ramen (we called them “packet noodles” as kids), I haven’t had a desire to get on the real ramen train once it exploded in North America. I’m a much bigger fan of Pho and Chinese style vermacelli noodle bowls. My other issue is that most ramen places seem to place way too much emphasis on pork in their broth and soup. However, this…. convinces me to give it a try again. I’m sure I’ll conclude that I waited way too long to give it a chance. Thank you for taking the time to break down the recipe!

    And wow. Congratulations on your book coming out. It looks gorgeous just from the cover and I can’t wait to see / make your recipes.

  • Sarah this recipe looks delish and so much more simple than I would have thought! Super excited to get my hands on your book. Please come to New Zealand and sign it for me….

  • Sarah this recipe looks delicious and so much more simple that I would have thought! Super excited to get my hands on your book. Please come to New Zealand and sign it for me…

  • Hi Sarah,
    I learned recently that you studied in Montreal for a few years? When do you plan coming back for a dinner and/or cooking demo?
    M

  • Hi!

    I got your book today and have had such a fun time reading through it and bookmarking recipes! Quick question about this recipe–do you make both dashis and then combine them or do you pick one?

  • Hello Sarah – I would like to come to either the April 16th or April 17th tea, but can’t seem to find the registration info for those ones, is it just a show up? Thanks! I’m excited to meet you 🙂

  • I’d love to find decent ramen noodles that don’t have “oil” of various origins…where, oh, where might I find these (I live in Victoria BC)…I do love ramen & seriously have to hold myself back from the “Ichiban” when shopping 😉 Thanks for another healthy take & I CAN’T WAIT for my (your 🙂 cook book to arrive (Amazon says between April 6-13th)!!

  • Looks amazing and perfect for the rainy Autumn day I’m having! So excited to get my paws on your book. You’ve been such an inspiration over the last few years 🙂 So much gratitude!

  • Looks amazing! Perfect for the rainy day I’m having today. I’m beyond excited to get my paws on your book! You’ve been such an inspiration for me over the last few years 🙂 So much gratitude.

  • Fresh, home-cooked ramen puts it’s instant relative to SHAME. Thank you for this recipe- I will definitely be trying this.

    And congratulations on your book coming out!

  • I’m interested in receiving My New Roots in my inbox, please. After seeing a naturopath for multiple health issues arising from low thyroid over a 10-year-plus time period, I’m happy to be gluten-free, refined-sugar-free, and cow’s-milk-free. Your Life-Changing Bread has literally changed my life! This is a whole new lifestyle, and I very much appreciate the support your blog offers. Thank you!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *