As the weather cools down, there’s nothing more comforting than a steaming bowl of noodle soup – but you can't say you've tried ramen until you're tried Rosa Matto's ramen.

Recipe Rosa Matto | Photograph Brendan Homan | Styling Natalie Homan

Ramen
serves 4

All the following ingredients are easily available at Asian grocers or Asian sections of larger Foodland supermarkets. 

for the stock
1L chicken stock
2 small pieces dried kombu
6 thin slices ginger
60ml soy sauce
2 tbsp dry sake
1 tbsp mirin
few drops sesame oil

Allow the ingredients to steep together overnight or for at least several hours. 

ramen and garnishes
2 chicken breasts, skin on
2 eggs
1 tsp sesame oil
8 fresh shitake mushrooms
500g fresh or dried ramen noodles
2 spring onions, cut on the diagonal
2 nori sheets, torn into shreds
toasted sesame seeds
chilli oil, toasted sesame oil or
nanami togarashi 

Allow a dry, non-stick frypan to get very hot. Sear the chicken breast, skin side down and cook until the skin is golden. Finish cooking the chicken breast in the oven at 180C for 15-18 minutes. Keep warm. When ready to serve, slice thinly. 

Meanwhile, soft boil the eggs for 5 minutes. Refresh under cold water. Peel and cut in half lengthwise. Warm the sesame oil and lightly fry the mushrooms until tender. Bring all the stock ingredients together and heat to boiling. Working quickly so that all the ingredients remain hot, cook the ramen noodles in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, drain and divide between 4 bowls. Add the warm sliced chicken, spring onions and lightly cooked mushrooms. Set the egg on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Remove and discard the kombu from the stock. Pour the stock into the bowls and finally add the nori.

Serve with chilli oil, toasted sesame oil and shichimi togarashi for your guests to add.

 

This recipe first appeared in the May 2019 issue of SALIFE.