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Prep time
20 minutes
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Cook time
20 minutes
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Serves
4
Author Notes
The smell of satay takes me right back to childhood barbecues, when my mother would make satay chicken skewers, and the aroma of them cooking would waft over the entire neighborhood, filling the streets with the rich, heady perfume of Southeast Asia. My father loved to grill—it is an Australian tradition, after all. With a can of Tab (sugar-free cola that was popular in the 1970s) in his hand, he would command the grill while the rest of us waited inside for the food to be cooked (we always ate the barbecued meats inside, around the dining table). Here, I’ve used satay as the inspiration for this carrot-laden ramen. Peanut butter is the base of this broth, which is combined with grated carrots to provide heft and flavor, both thickening it up and adding a natural sweetness. You can blitz it up if you prefer a smooth broth, but I enjoy the occasional specks of carrot while I’m slurping the noodles. —Hetty Lui McKinnon
Test Kitchen Notes
From Tenderheart: A Cookbook About Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds. © 2023 by Hetty Lui McKinnon. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. —The Editors
Ingredients
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1-2 tablespoons
neutral oil
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2
garlic cloves, finely chopped
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1 1/2-inch
(4 centimeter) piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
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3
carrots (about 9 ounces/250 grams), scrubbed and coarsely grated
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1 teaspoon
sea salt
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1/2 teaspoon
sugar
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3/4 cup
200 grams) creamy peanut butter
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32 ounces
(1 liter) Vegan Dashi (page 360 in the book) or vegetable stock
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12 ounces
(340 grams) instant or ramen noodles
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1
handful of Asian greens, such as baby bok boy, tatsoi or choy sum, washed and patted dry, leaves picked (substitute broccoli florets and kale if needed)
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1
handful of cilantro leaves
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2
green onions, sliced
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1/4 cup
roasted peanuts, chopped
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4
soft-boiled eggs, halved, or sliced tofu (optional)
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SEASONINGS
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4 teaspoons
sugar
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8 teaspoons
soy sauce or tamari
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4 teaspoons
rice vinegar
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4 teaspoons
toasted sesame oil
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4 teaspoons
doubanjiang or chili oil
Directions
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Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Drizzle with the oil and add the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the carrot, salt and sugar and cook for 3–5 minutes, until the carrot is softened and starting to caramelize. Add the peanut butter and dashi or vegetable stock and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. This is a textured soup base—if you prefer it smooth, use a stick blender to puree.
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Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions. Drain.
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Lay out four bowls. In each bowl, add the following seasonings: 1 teaspoon of sugar, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce or tamari, 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of doubanjiang or chili oil. Whisk to combine.
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Add your greens to the broth, cook for 30 seconds, then immediately pour the broth and greens into the four bowls, on top of the seasonings, dividing it equally. Stir to combine. Divide the noodles among the bowls, top with the cilantro leaves, green onion, peanuts and soft-boiled egg, if desired. Serve immediately.
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