Homemade Spicy Ramen

I love the artificial MSG-ridden flavors of instant spicy Korean ramen and I could probably eat it weekly but I show a lot of restraint. I hadn't had it in a while and was kind of craving it for dinner but I just couldn't justify eating a bowl of salt and fat in the first quarter of the year while everyone's still discussing their weight loss resolutions.

So, I decided to make a homemade version, which to be honest doesn't taste that much like the instant kind but is still delicious, in order to quell the craving whilst still maintaining a guilt-free headspace.

Ingredients [serves 4]:
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 lb. chicken thighs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ onion, diced
6 cups water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon miso paste
4 oz. firm tofu, cubed
2 bunches baby bok choy
1 long hot pepper, sliced
8 oz. ramen noodles
4 eggs
scallion, chopped

Start by soft boiling some eggs.

Chop up the vegetables and the tofu.

Warm up a pot over medium heat and pour in the sesame oil and canola oil. Sear the chicken on both sides and then make some room in the pot. Pour in the hot pepper flakes and stir to coat in oil and then add in the onions and garlic.

Cook until the onions are soft and then add in the water.

Stir in the soy sauce and miso paste and bring to a boil. Then, add in the tofu.

 Remove the chicken and cut into chunks using kitchen shears.

Add in the bok choy and peppers and then stir in the noodles.

When the noodles are tender, serve a generous ladle of ramen in a big bowl.

Garnish the bowl with some chopped scallions and an egg.

The broth is nice and spicy and this ramen is so much more filling than the instant kind because it has tons of protein (hello, chicken and tofu), it's filled with delicious vegetables, and the soup doesn't leave you gross and bloated. I love leaving the noodles slightly al dente - the texture is so nice - and I love that they soak up the delicious seasonings because they're cooked directly in the broth.

Here's the recipe page: