My Mom's Best Apple Pie

What can I say, I’m a little biased but I have tasted a few apple pies in my day and I think my mom’s is hand’s down the best. I remember growing up seeing her test out different types of crust with butter vs. lard, making sure not to over mix the batter, adding an ice cube to the batter to keep it cold, rolling out the dough in a frenzy before it got warm. It has taken over 40 years to perfect (a small hint to my age) but I think it’s at its best right about now.

She makes her apple pie for Thanksgiving and that’s it. I like it that way because I get to look forward to it every year and I know it’s going to be pretty special. I like it heated a la mode but it’s also great a bit chilled for breakfast. #mymomspieisbetterthanyours

Ingredients:

8-10 large pippin, granny-smith or gala apples - peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thin (depending on size of pie pan)

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 heaping tbsp AP flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 pinch salt

Directions:

1. Prepare apples before making the crust by mixing apples with ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

Fabulous Crust:

1 1/4 cup AP flour plus 1/4 cup AP flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

3/4 cup butter (Irish Butter preferred)

1/4 cup butter sliced in small pieces

1 egg beaten

1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. Sift together 1 1/4 cup flour, salt and sugar in a medium-sized bowl.

3. Cut in 3/4 butter. Leave in large pea-sized chunks.

4. In a separate small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons ice-water with 1/4 cup flour to make a paste (this is the secret to the crust).

5. Combine the ice-water mixture with the cut-in butter mixture to form a ball in the medium-sized bowl. Mix with a fork, do not use your hands.

6. Mix as little as possible. Add a sprinkle of ice-water if the dough is not binding.

7. Divide the ball into 2 parts for upper and lower crust and wrap in saran wrap. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes minimum to chill.

8. On a well floured board, roll one of the crusts out into a long oval and fold over into thirds to make the crust flaky. Repeat. Work quickly and handle as little as possible. Keep the other crust in the refrigerator until ready to use. Roll out in a large circle for the bottom crust to fit your pie pan with enough to go over the edges by 1/2 inch. Place in a large pie pan.

9. Sprinkle the bottom crust with flour. Do not prick the crust.

10. Heap in the apples and press down lightly to compact the apples.

11. Add butter slices on top evenly.

12. Roll out the top crust the same as the bottom crust by rolling out into a long oval and folding over to make the crust flaky. Repeat. Work quickly and handle as little as possible.

13. Roll out into a large circle. Cut in vents.

14. Roll the top onto the rolling pin to place on top of the apples.

15. Trim around the raggedy edges with a scissors so dough hangs over 1/2 inch from rim of pie plate. Roll the edges under to seal the crusts together and flute the edges.

16. Brush top of crust with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with sugar.

17. Place in 450 degrees oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Macanese Broth

This broth was created by my friend and chef, Emily Lai. Amongst her many other culinary projects, Emily is currently running a Malaysian pop-up in San Francisco called Masak I Masak. Characteristic of Macanese cooking, each dish is rich and multilayered with spices and aromatics. This broth is no exception. The jujubes and goji berries provide a subtle sweetness and lend a fresh, floral note. Bonus: now that you have these ingredients on hand, you can use them in my Pork Wonton with Macanese Broth as well.

Skill Level: Moderate

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3½ hours

Yield: Makes 8 cups (2 quarts)

Ingredients:

5 pounds pork bones, rinsed (See Note)

One 1 inch-piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

10 dried jujubes (red dates)

2 tablespoons goji berries

Kosher salt and white pepper (See Note)

Directions:

1. In a large stockpot, cover the pork bones with water, approximately 4 quarts. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the bones and rinse them thoroughly to remove any scum; discard the water. Wipe out the stockpot.

2. In the same stockpot, cover the pork bones with clean water, a little less than 4 quarts. Add the ginger, dates and goji berries and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until very flavorful and aromatic, about 3 hours. Strain the broth into a clean pot and season with salt and pepper; discard the bones and aromatics. Use this broth immediately, or let cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

NOTE Ask your butcher for pork knuckles, trotters, leg, neck or hip bones. Almost any bones will work with this recipe.

Start with minimal amounts of salt and pepper and add to taste. White pepper is strong and has a very distinct flavor.

MAKE AHEAD The Macanese broth can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 2 months.

Pork Wonton with Macanese Broth Hot Pot

I live in Boulder, Colorado so the weather here is always a topic of conversation. One day it’s bright and sunny and you want to wear flip flops and the next day you’re bundling up with a beanie on and it’s snowing. It was one of the last snowy days before Summer (which was still in late Spring when I thought we’d had our last snow) that I made this hot pot for my family. We passed the time away inside by making wontons together and I told them how I used to make them with my family for our church fair growing up. They always enjoy eating and trying new things when they participate in the cooking, so they loved this hot pot - the wontons almost fill with the broth like a soup dumpling and the cook up fairly quickly because of the small amount of filling in them. My kids gobbled up their 4 wontons pretty fast but feel free to add more if you know you’ve got little wonton lovers like I do!  You need to make the Pork Wontons and the Macanese Broth in Advance here so please start with these!

Skill Level: Moderate

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield:  6 servings

To Make in Advance: Moms Pork Wontons and Macanese Broth

Preparation: Stovetop

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ medium Vidalia onion, thinly sliced

2 black garlic cloves, chopped (you can substitute regular garlic; see Note)

8 cups (2 quarts) Macanese Broth (See Note)

24 Pork Wontons

3 baby bok choy, quartered lengthwise

3 ounces enoki mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed

1 sweet potato - peeled and shredded (you can substitute with 6 ounces spiralized sweet potato noodles)

2 large scallions, white and light green parts only, cut into 2-inch lengths on the diagonal

One 14-ounce block firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions:

1. In a 4-quart hot pot or large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high (about 425 degrees for an electric pot). Add onions and cook, stirring, until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the black garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

2. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the wontons, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Add the vegetables and tofu, cover and cook for 5 minutes more, until the wontons are cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

4. Ladle into shallow bowls and serve.

NOTE

Black garlic is fermented garlic that is sweet and savory with a deep molasses-like flavor and a very soft consistency. It’s signature black appearance is due to the fermentation process where it produces melanoidin and turns the garlic black. You can find it in specialty food shops and online.

This recipe is easy to scale up or down depending on the size of your group and hot pot. Just be sure that your hot pot is filled about halfway with broth. If the liquid reduces overtime, add more.

Mom's Pork Wontons

My mom and her best friend Tucky used to make these wontons for our church’s food festival, prepping thousands of them ahead of time and freezing between layers of wax paper. I remember being in the church banquet hall filled with tables and it seemed like the entire congregation was there to help. I’d sit with my brother, sister and cousins happily making wontons for hours. When wontons are defrosted, they can become soggy, so my mom and Tucky had a trick for their filling: instead of using the more traditional regular onions in the filling (which weep when thawed), they would use scallions. This recipe freezes really well, so I highly recommend making the full batch of 100 wontons even if you don’t plan on eating them right away. Also, the great part about this recipe is that these wontons can be fried and served with a dipping sauce or simmered in a hot pot - it just comes down to how you assemble them. Fried wontons are folded to look like a boat with two sails and simmered wontons look like a cinched up purse. The boat shape limits the filling to less meat so the filling is able to cook through during the brief frying time, whereas the cinched up purse technique can hold more filling because the wontons can simmer for a longer time. If you want to try these in a soup, check out my Pork Wontons with Macanese Broth where the wontons are cooked in a slightly sweet, aromatic pork bone broth until perfectly tender.

Skill Level: Moderate

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 50-60 wontons

Sweet & Sour Sauce

½ cup low-sodium chicken broth (store bought is fine)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

½ cup sugar

½ cup ketchup

¾ cup finely chopped pineapple or one 6-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

Pork Wontons

½ pound ground pork

½ pound large shrimp (about 6-8 shrimp), shelled and deveined

1 egg

½ cup water chestnuts, drained

One 1½ inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

1 large shiitake mushroom, stemmed

1 small clove garlic

3 scallions, white and light green parts only

1 tablespoon parsley

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon pepper

One package wonton wrappers (you can also substitute the round gyoza or potsticker wrappers)  

Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions:

1. Make the sauce In a small saucepan, make a slurry with the chicken broth and cornstarch. Then whisk in the rest of the ingredients until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook, whisking, until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

2. Make the wontons In a food processor, pulse all of the ingredients until well combined and a meatball like texture is formed. If you do not have a food processor, all of the ingredients need to be chopped fine and combined.  

3. Fill a small bowl with water and line a large airtight container with wax or parchment paper. Working with one wonton wrapper at a time, place a rounded teaspoon of the filling in the center of the wrapper. Be careful not to overstuff the wonton wrappers or they will be difficult to seal.

4. Wet your finger in the bowl of water and moisten the wrapper around the filling. Fold the bottom half of the wrapper up and away from you so that the corners of the square are off set. Gently press the wonton wrapper together around the filling to seal. If you are making these wontons for a hot pot, see Note. Transfer to the airtight container and repeat with the remaining filling and wonton wrappers, separating each layer of prepared wontons with wax or parchment paper.

5. Fill a large saucepan or a deep fryer with 1½ inches of oil and heat over medium-high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. When the oil is hot, test the temperature by adding a small piece of wonton wrapper to the oil - it should fry up quickly.

6. Working in small batches, carefully add the wontons to the hot oil. They should not be touching. Fry until puffed, crispy and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried wontons to the paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with the remaining wontons. Serve right away with the Sweet & Sour Sauce for dipping.

MAKE AHEAD These wontons can be made in advance and frozen for 1 month. You could also refrigerate them overnight and make them the next day but not for longer.

NOTE If you are preparing these wontons to use in a hot pot, place a rounded tablespoon of the filling in the center of a wonton square. Moisten the outside of the square with water, then pinch up the opposite edges to make a square purse with sealed edges.

Chicken Delicious

This recipe actually started as my attempt at making traditional Chicken Karaage, which is like Japanese fried chicken. But, it turned into a real test kitchen experiment with different types of flours and trying to find the best batter and method to making crispy chicken that stayed crispy. I used Katakuriko (Japanese potato starch), Mochiko (Japanese rice flour), regular AP flour and after days of trial and error, I concluded that Chicken Karaage really needs to be double-fried to stay crispy which I just don’t think the average person wants to do - nor do I as a mom of 3 kids.

So, this is my cheater version that is equally crispy and flavorful, but doesn’t require double frying. This chicken is marinated much like karaage so the chicken stays moist, tender and flavorful, but I dip it in egg and panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) and then deep fry it. It comes out crispy and stays that way - for hours. Need to crisp it up? You can pop it under the broiler or toaster oven for a bit. Can’t find katakuriko? No worries, we’re using panko which is widely available. Plus, my kids loved this and gobbled them right up and said “Mom, this chicken is delicious!”, thus the name. Done. I need a nap.

Skill Level: Moderate

Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

6 tablespoons shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)

2 tablespoon agave nectar

2 tablespoon sake (rice wine)

One 1½ inch-piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 spring onions or large scallions, white parts only, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 ½ pounds or 8 boneless chicken thighs with, skin on (about 8 thighs)

2 large eggs

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

vegetable oil, for frying

lemon wedges for garnish

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the shoyu, agave, sake, grated ginger, garlic, spring onion, salt and pepper together until smooth.   

2. Cut each chicken thigh into 4 uniform pieces and add to the marinade. Let marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.

3. Set a cooling rack in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the kewpie with the sriracha.

5. In a deep, straight-sided medium skillet, heat 2 inches of oil to 325 degrees. When the oil is hot, test the temperature by adding a small amount of batter to the hot oil. It should sizzle and fry up quickly.

6. In one shallow bowl, beat the eggs. In a second shallow bowl, spread the panko in an even layer. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, tap off any excess marinade, then dip them into the egg and then cover them with panko.

7. Working in batches and being careful not to crowd the skillet, add the chicken to the oil and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes.

8. Transfer the chicken to the prepared cooling rack, making sure none are touching and repeat with the remaining chicken. Serve warm or at room temperature and garnish with lemon wedges. The chicken will remain crispy for hours.

Yuzu Citrus Sorbet

When I was younger, my mom used to throw these fabulous couples dinner parties with her friends, complete with the finest china, silver and beautiful printed menus. I remember one evening, she let me have a taste of a lemon sorbet that they served in cut-out lemon baskets and I’ll never forget it. She told me it was to cleanse the palate in between courses and I thought it was so fancy and special. This is my tribute to her and her friends, they called themselves and continue to call themselves, “Les Dames”.

Skill Level: Moderate

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours for sorbet to set in the freezer

Yield: Serves 8

4 cups water

4 cups sugar

1 cup yuzu citrus juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)

1 ½ tablespoons orange zest  

fresh mint leaves for garnish

1. Make a simple syrup by whisking the water and sugar in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until the liquid becomes clear and all the sugar is dissolved.

2. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl that is set over an ice-bath. Continue whisking every 5 minutes until completely cooled, about 20 minutes.

3. After cooling, stir in the yuzu citrus juice and zest.

4. Place in a 9-by-13 inch pan and freeze. Every hour, stir with a fork so that the sorbet forms a slush but does not turn into a solid block. Freeze for 4 hours minimum.

5. Place in a 9-by-13 inch pan and freeze. Every hour, stir with a fork so that the sorbet forms a slush but does not turn into a solid block. Freeze for 4 hours minimum. The sorbet will remain in a soft and smooth when freezing continues.

6. Scoop in small bowls with fresh mint for garnish.

Kid Friendly Beef Curry Nabe

Note: This recipe takes a while to make because of the slow cooking of the beef but if you decide to use the Japanese Curry Broth as a base for a more traditional hot pot - with thin slices of meat and vegetables that you dip in the broth and quickly cook, you can reduce the time. 

Japanese curry is strong in flavor but has a subtle sweetness and isn’t terribly spicy, so kids tend to like it over stronger Indian or Thai curries. The low and slow method of cooking the stew meat will break down the meat and leave it juicy and tender - so don’t bother getting higher grade cuts of meat for this as it will do the reverse and result in a tough meat when cooked for longer. You can add other vegetables like, bean sprouts, napa cabbage and shiitake mushrooms to this hot pot but to please my kids, I’ve left only what they like in this one.

Skill Level: Moderate

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

To Make in Advance: Japanese Curry Broth

Japanese Curry Broth

Roux

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons high-quality curry powder

1 tablespoons garam masala

¼ teaspoon ground coffee

¼ teaspoon white pepper

Broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated  

1 medium Vidalia onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¼ cup shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)

¼ cup dark brown sugar  

5 cups chicken stock (you can substitute store-bought stock)

1. Make the roux. In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add the flour. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 6-7 minutes. The roux will rise slightly and be a pale brown color with a nutty smell. Add the curry powder, garam masala, ground coffee and white pepper and continue to cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
2. Make the broth. Heat a 4-quart hot pot or large saucepan over medium-high heat (about 425 degrees for an electric hot pot).
3. Heat the oil and add the garlic and ginger and cook over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium and stir constantly for about 20 minutes or until onion starts to caramelize. If brown bits start to form on the bottom of the pan from the onion, just scrape them up with a wooden spoon and let them incorporate into the onions.
5. Stir in the tomato paste, shoyu, brown sugar, roux and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer until all the flavors are combined, about 20 minutes.

Kid Friendly Beef Curry Nabe

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ pounds of cubed beef stew meat (chuck meat is best)

salt and pepper

flour

4 carrots, peeled and sliced on opposing diagonals into bite-sized pieces

8-10 small red potatoes, sliced in half or quarters if they are larger

One 10-ounce block extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces

steamed rice, for serving

1. Season the cubed meat with salt. Lightly coat the meat with flour.
2. Heat a 4-quart hot pot or large saucepan over medium-high heat (about 425 degrees for an electric hot pot)
3. Heat the olive oil. Add the meat and saute until browned. Cook in batches if necessary so that the meat does not touch.
4. Ladle the 5 cups of prepared Japanese curry broth into the hot pot until the meat is covered. Bring to a boil.
5. Reduce to simmer, cover for 1 hour
6. Add the carrots and the potatoes. Cover and cook for an additional 45 minutes.
7. Add tofu. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
8. Serve healthy portions over a bowl of hot steamed rice.

Chocolate Mochi Cake

Mochiko is a glutinous rice flour made from mochigome (a short-grained Japanese rice) that is ground into a fine powder. The mochiko in this cake gives it more density and moisture, while the cake flour and baking soda help it to rise like a more traditional cake. But, there’s nothing traditional about it - the result is a rich, not-too-sweet, chocolatey confection that sticks to your fork and is somewhere between a brownie and a cake. My family prefers it heated up a bit and served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

Skill Level: Moderate

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 18 to 20 servings

Non-stick cooking spray, for greasing

2 cups Mochiko (280 grams; Japanese sweet rice flour)

½ cup cake flour (See Note)

½ cup unprocessed cocoa powder (43 grams)

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups whole milk

1 (12 oz) can coconut milk

½ cup melted dark sweetened chocolate, cooled slightly

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 large eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup salted butter, softened

2 cups packed dark brown sugar (320 grams)

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Ice cream, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by-13 inch pan with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients - mochiko, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the wet ingredients - whole milk, coconut milk, melted chocolate, vanilla extract and eggs.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl and using a hand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides

5. With the mixer running, gradually add the dry and wet ingredients, alternating between the two until smooth and just incorporated.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. Cut into thin slices and transfer to plates. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve with ice cream.  

Note: Cake flour is finer and has a lower protein content (therefore less gluten) than all purpose flour, so when used it gives a more delicate texture.

Matcha Coconut Custard with Fresh Berries

Matcha Coconut Custard with Fresh Berries

With so many desserts chock full of sugar, this recipe is truly good for the heart. It’s gluten-free, has no refined sugar and includes all the antioxidants in matcha tea. Your body and your loved ones will thank you for this healthy and delicious treat.

Level 2

Serves 8

Prep Time: 30 minutes plus 4 hours for custard to set

Ingredients:

13.5 oz or 2 cans full-fat coconut milk

¼ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon matcha (Japanese green tea in finely ground powder)

2 1/2 teaspoons grass-fed gelatin - approximately one package

Garnish per serving:

½ cup unsweetened coconut - lightly toasted

2 cups fresh raspberries and blackberries (you can substitute any berry)

mint sprigs

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together coconut milk with the powdered gelatin. Let sit for 5 minutes so the gelatin can “bloom.”

2. Add in the vanilla and maple syrup, then gently heat the mixture over medium-low heat, whisking well to help the gelatin dissolve. Be careful not to bring to a boil. Once the gelatin has completely dissolved, remove from the heat.

3. Through a fine sieve, pour the warm mixture into 8 small ramekins, and place in the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours before serving. Straining it will get rid of any solid pieces so that the custard is silky smooth.

4. Before serving, top with a small pile of berries, a sprinkle of toasted coconut and a mint sprig

Japanese Mushroom Toast

After a week of creating different sukiyaki recipes, I was left with portions of different Japanese mushrooms that I hadn’t used. So, I woke up one Sunday and thought - I'll make mushroom toast with all of the leftover mushrooms for breakfast. Back when we used to live in London, I remember all of the lovely breakfast places that had toasts with toppings of all kinds - so this one is in memory of our time there, but with a little Japanese twist. I used Shiitake, King Trumpets, Oyster Mushrooms and Forest Nameko mushrooms but any leftover mushrooms would work here. The mushrooms are savory and umami filled, the added miso give it a little sweetness, the shoyu gives it the salt it needs, the shichimi togarashi fills in that spice component and atop the crunchy bread you get the texture you need when you take your first bite.

Level 1

Serves 4-6

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 medium shallot - chopped

12 oz mushrooms - cleaned, trimmed and chopped (combination of any 3 japanese mushrooms)

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp yellow miso

1 tsp sesame oil

¼ tsp shichimi togarashi (you can substitute pepper)

1 tsp shoyu (soy sauce)

1 small french bread loaf

olive oil

1 green onion - sliced thin

Directions:

1. In a medium saute pan on high heat, add olive oil and butter until butter melts and starts to sizzle.

2. Add shallots and stir 1 minute or until just golden.

3. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle salt over and cook for approximately 8 minutes until mushrooms are browned.

4. Turn off the heat and stir in the miso until well incorporated

5. Stir in the sesame oil, shichimi togarashi, and shoyu.

6. Slice 6 pieces of bread ½“ thick on the diagonal and lightly brush the tops with olive oil.

7. Toast until golden brown.

8. Spoon the mushrooms on the toasts and sprinkle green onion on tops.

Lobster Ramen →

I recently had the pleasure of making my lobster ramen and also getting a little exercise in with my fellow mommy friend, Nicole DeBoom. Nicole is the Founder & CEO of SkirtSports, and like the super mom she is - she manages running a business, staying fit and chasing around her 6-year-old little girl Wilder who is a good buddy of Ellie's. Check out our adventures here as we walk through making lobster ramen at my house and also give you some comic relief.

Always a crowd favorite - I've made Lobster Ramen only about 5 times so it truly is a labor of love but so satisfying to see the look on people's faces when they take their first bite. The lobster shell infused Shio Base is layered with flavor, the thinly shredded red cabbage adds a vibrant pop of color and the lemon zest gives it all a fresh brightness that pairs well with the lobster. It's decadent, delicious and definitely one of my favorites.

Lobster Ramen (ロブスターラーメン Robusuta-Ramen)

Serves 6

Prep time: 45 minutes, plus time to make Shio Ramen Soup Base, fresh Ramen Noodles (optional), and Roasted Garlic (optional)

These components need to be made ahead of time:

Shio Ramen Soup Base – See Recipe for Shio Ramen Soup Base.

Ramen Noodles (optional) – See Recipe for Ramen Noodles. Or noodles can be purchased.

Roasted Garlic Butter (optional) – See Recipe at bottom.

Ingredients:

Six lobster tails, about 5 to 6 oz each

6 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter

wooden skewers soaked in water for at least 15 minutes

Lobster Stock ingredients:

12 cups chicken or vegetable stock – homemade or store bought

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

¾ cup mirin

1 large rectangular piece of kombu (about 10” length) – cut in to large squares

12 dried shitake mushrooms, crumbled into small pieces

6 bay leaves

Additional Toppings:

1 small mound of arugula and spinach mixed together per serving

2 lemons with zest (1 teaspoon zest and 1 wedge per serving)

½ head purple cabbage, shredded (1 small mound per serving)

1 dollop of Roasted Garlic Butter (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450º F.

2. Split the lobsters down the center of the back by turning over and cutting in half lengthwise through the shell with kitchen shears, starting from head and leaving the tail intact.

3. Thread a soaked skewer through the underside of the tail through the bottom of the shell.

4. Brush the underside portion with the exposed meat with clarified butter. Wrap in foil and set in a roasting pan in one layer. Bake for 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes and remove the lobster tails from the foil, reserving the drippings to add to your stock.

5. Make the Lobster Broth: in a large soup pot over high heat, combine the stock, butter, mirin, kombu, dried shitake mushrooms, bay leaf and reserved lobster drippings. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

6. Carefully remove the lobster meat from the shell by sliding a knife under the meat and gently lifting it out of its shell. Do this over your roasting pan to save any of the juices that drip. Add the shells and any of the lobster juices to your stock. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

7. Have all of your toppings ready so that they can be quickly placed on top of your ramen when it's ready.

8. Place a pot of water to boil for your noodles.

9. Line a colander with cheesecloth and set it over a pot large enough to hold the stock. Strain the lobster stock and return it to the stove.  Add 1/2 cup of your pre-made Shio Base. Right before serving, crank it back up to boil.

10. Boil the noodles—if fresh, boil for about 1 minute; if packaged, boil for about 2 minutes.

11. While the noodles are boiling, pour two cups of piping hot soup into each bowl. As soon as the noodles are done, shake out all of the excess water and lay a portion into each bowl of hot soup by folding them on top of each other so they do not look messy.

12. Top each bowl with a lobster tail, shredded purple cabbage, a small mound of spinach and arugula mixed together. Add zest of lemon and a dollop of roasted garlic butter and squeeze a lemon wedge over each bowl before serving.

Roasted Garlic Butter

Many ramen shops offer cloves of fresh garlic and a press at the table so you can squeeze the garlic right into your ramen. I prefer the more subtle flavor of roasted garlic (plus I don’t like sweating garlic all day). This butter adds flavor and richness to any ramen soup and it’s delicious spread on bread or toast.

Serves: 4 - 1 tablespoon portions

Prep time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Quantities can be increased for more portions or to save for later. This can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

1 head garlic  

4 tablespoons or 1/2 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature

Salt and pepper

Olive oil  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400º F

2. Cut about ¼ inch off of the top of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves and place the garlic on a piece of aluminum foil.

3. Drizzle the bulb with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and wrap with the foil to cover completely.

4. Repeat with additional heads.

5. Place on a cookie sheet on the center rack and bake for 1 hour until the bulb(s) start popping up out of their skins and are caramel in color.  You can take a peek to check.

6. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins onto a cutting board. With the back of a knife or a fork, mash the cloves into a paste.

7. Transfer to a small bowl and combine with the butter until well incorporated.

8. Store in a covered container and refrigerate for up to 4 weeks. Bring to room temperature before using.  

Blue Apron Kahn Family Pork and Miso Ramen →

ORDER YOUR BLUE APRON BY NOON ON MAY 31ST TO GET OUR KAHN FAMILY PORK AND MISO RAMEN! Send me an email at epjoishii@gmail.com and I'll send you a free voucher to try! If you get a chance to order it for the week of June 5th, we hope you enjoy it!

This past August we entered the Blue Apron Kids Cooking Camp Contest and WON a trip for our whole family to go to NYC and help the Blue Apron team create a recipe! We had so much fun, week after week, following the rules of the contest and submitting our posts on Instagram. Here are some of our favorite posts:

WE HAD TO MAKE HOME MADE WHIPPED CREAM AND HOLD IT OVER OUR HEAD!

WE HAD TO TALK ABOUT OUR FAVORITE SUMMERTIME INGREDIENT AND HOW WE USE IT.

WE HAD TO TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR FAMILY DOES TO HELP OUT WITH MEALS.

WE HAD TO CORE LETTUCE, DE-STEM KALE, PEEL A CARROT AND SOME GARLIC.

WE HAD TO PLANT SOME PEA SHOOTS AND WATCH THEM GROW!

When we got the email from Blue Apron telling us we won, we were beyond thrilled. They arranged to fly us to NYC, put us up in a hotel and take us to their secret Blue Apron test kitchen where we would create a recipe with them. We had such a fun time seeing where they keep all of their many spices and ingredients, learning about their recipe creation process (how they are limited to 10 ingredients and 10 steps or less) and watching the photographer take pictures of the final recipe.

We had decided ahead of time that we would work on a ramen recipe. What was most challenging was the limitation of ingredients and steps. I really feel like the final result is one that gives depth and flavor in a short amount of time. I also had a new respect for Blue Apron and the recipes it sends me, knowing that they always have to follow the parameters of 10 ingredients or less and only 10 steps or less. Given those limitations, don't expect the best ramen you've ever had - but this is pretty darn good. Here's the description right from Blue Apron...

This summery take on ramen was developed in collaboration with the Kahn family of San Francisco, Calif., winners of the 2016 Blue Apron Kids Cooking Camp. A satisfying, earthy broth gets its savory flavor from three ingredients: miso paste, dried shiitakes, and kombu—a type of dried seaweed with a delicately briny flavor. It's the perfect base for fresh, springy ramen noodles topped with seasonal asparagus, cooked to retain its tender bite. Sweet-tart marinated cucumber, served on the side, adds a refreshing crunch to the dish.

Scroll through to see the epic day with had creating Pork and Miso Ramen with the Blue Apron team!

My Japanese Candy Box Review and Contest!

I'm doing some consulting work for a subscription box company and in my research stumbled upon a website for all kinds of subscription boxes. This one caught my attention. It's called japancandybox.com and you guessed it, every month based on the subscription plan you choose - they'll send you a super cool box filled with interesting, delicious and unique Japanese treats.  Each box has 8-10 different candies or snacks and it's FREE SHIPPING. They run about $20 a box (unless you opt for 6 months or more and then it's discounted) but the value is definitely more than that. I'm hooked. 

It was so fun getting my box and opening it with my kids. Can you imagine their excitement when I told them we HAD to try each of the candies and they had to tell me what they thought of each one?  Let me show you what we found inside. SO FUN! 

Maggie and her friend Emma after we opening the box! 

Here's what the May box came with along with our feedback:

Kracie Popin Cooking Ramen DIY Kit - The coolest thing ever. We made ramen out of a kit and it all tasted like candy - gummy, sweet, lemony gooey candy. Not super edible but really fun to make. And yes, that is a tiny tiny bowl of ramen with fake egg and kamaboko on top and yes, those are mini dumplings filled with a sugar confetti candy bits. Delicious and kind of serendipitous given I wrote a book on ramen!  

Bourbon Fettucine Peach Gummies - Our favorite. Sour, tangy, sugary peachy, just delicious and shaped like fettucine noodles. Those Japanese, so creative! 

Shin Chan Ramune Candies - You know the Japanese soda in a glass bottle with the marble on top that you can't get out?  So these taste like little ramune jawbreakers. Funny packaging with a boy pulling his pants down from behind. Those Japanese, so crazy! 

Coris Shari To Puru Gum - Packed with flavor, tart apple flavored gum with a jelly filling.  My personal favorite because of the delicious apple flavor. 

Meiji Wata Pachi Ramune Gum - Tasted like ramune soda flavored fizzy cotton candy. Unique and not like any gum we've had before - it fizzed in your mouth and slowly turned into gum - weird but good! 

Doraemon Green Tea Chocolate - Cute Japanese Anime character Doraemon with strong green tea and chocolate flavor encased in a light crispy wafer. A bit dry but very flavorful. 

GyoGyoGyo Taste Changing Gum -Cool because you could break apart different flavors in little segments and combine them to make combined flavors. 

Tohato Yokai Watch Caramel Corn - Butterscotch caramel corn, crunchy and sweet - as if Pirate Booty and Caramel Corn had a baby. 

Tohato Kotsubu Breano Pea Snacks - Pea flavored, crunchy a little lacking in flavor but seemed pretty healthy. Reminded us of those snap pea crisps. 

Glico Calpico Mini Ice Cream Snack - A sweet chocolate filling inside a light and sweet wafer. Simple but yum. 

Ryan and Ellie were beyond thrilled when they came home to a tasting table of Japanese treats. And all of this BEFORE dinner...made their day!

Ellie said, "This is awesome!" 

Japancandybox.com also gave me a contest to run for one of you lucky peeps to win a free box of candy so enter now for a chance to WIN! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tonkotsu Ramen Soup Base

The Tonkotsu Base is the holy grail of ramen soup bases, and this recipe follows the traditional recipe I learned to make from Sensei Miyajima Rikisai at the Miyajima Ramen School in Osaka, Japan. Tonkotsu, known as “white soup,” comes from two different regions in Japan. This version comes from the Kanto region of Tokyo. It uses a double-soup method, where two separate broths are combined right before serving, making a more complex and flavorful soup. Once you master the Tonkotsu Base, you’ve basically made Tonkotsu, Shio and Shoyu Bases in one go, so it will be worth your hard work!

Serves 10
Prep time: 4 hours, plus time to make Chashu
Equipment: 30-quart pressure cooker (always read and follow the instructions provided with your
pressure cooker before you start)
Make in Advance:
Chashu - recipe found here

Ingredients:
Seabura (boiled pork back fat)
11⁄2 lbs (700 g) pork back fat
Water, to cover

Tonkotsu Soup
1⁄2 lb (225 g) chicken feet, cleaned, extra skin removed and
nails cut off (approximately 6 feet)
8–10 lbs (3.6–4.5 kg) pork knuckles/trotters, pounded with
a mallet to release marrow
1 lb (455 g) potatoes, unpeeled and sliced in big chunks
5 qts (4.7 L) water

Shiodare (salt flavor component)
1 large rectangular piece kombu (about 10 inches/25 cm long),
cut into large squares
1 large or 2 small dried shiitake mushrooms, crumbled
1 qt (946 ml) water
2 tbsp bonito flakes
11⁄2 cups (300 g) baby clams
1⁄2 cup (140 g) salt

Shoyudare (soy sauce flavor component)
Equal parts Shiodare and Chashu Braising Liquid (do not assemble until ready to use)

Directions:

1. Before cooking, you must have the Chashu with its braising liquid on hand to use later.

2. Start making the Seabura: Place the pork back fat in a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 4 hours, uncovered.

3. Start making the Tonkotsu Soup: In a separate pot of boiling water, blanch the chicken feet,       drain, and then add them to the pressure cooker along with the pork knuckles or trotters and the potatoes. Cover with up to 5 quarts (4.7 L) water, making sure the total volume of water and food combined does not exceed half of the pot.

4. Leave your pressure regulator weight off of the vent pipe. Turn heat to high until steam flows from the vent pipe (this may take up to 20 minutes) and continue to let vent for 10 minutes more to get all of the air out. Maintain high heat setting and place your pressure regulator weight on. Start timing your cooking when the regulator weight begins to jiggle or rock. It may appear as if it is leaking, but this is normal. Regulate the heat so that the weight only jiggles 1–4 times per minute. Start the timer and cook for 1 hour.

5. Start making the Shiodare: In a medium-sized pot, bring the kombu, shiitake, and 4 cups (950 ml) water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the kombu and shiitake and put the soup into a clean medium-sized pot.

6. Return this drained soup to the stove, add the bonito flakes, and heat to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the bonito flakes and put soup into your other empty pot, pressing the flakes to release all their liquid.

7. Return this drained soup to the stove and add the clams, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the clams and put soup into your other empty pot. Add almost all the salt and whisk in. Note that the salt to soup ratio should be 20 percent, resulting in a very salty soup base or Shiodare. To be exact, before adding your salt, pour the soup into a quart measure and multiply by 20 percent to get the exact salt to add.

8. After 1 hour, take the pressure cooker off the heat and allow the pressure gauge to return to 0 before gently removing the cover. Push down the pork bones to get the bone fat out and make the soup creamier and thicker. Cook on a medium low heat with the cover off for about 1 hour longer, mixing periodically.

9. Directly into your serving bowls, add 1 tablespoon braising liquid and 1 tablespoon Shiodare per serving.

10. Drain and remove the pork back fat that has been simmering. Cut the strips into smaller 2-inch (5 cm) pieces. Into a medium-sized bowl, take a large-holed sieve and push a couple of pieces at a time through the sieve so that you see it come thorugh the other side in small little bits. Repeat until all pieces are pushed through. Your Seabura is ready. Set aside.

11. Strain all of the solids from the Tonkotsu soup in the pressure cooker and transfer the soup to a separate pan and keep warm. Right before serving, crank it up to a boil.

12. Start boiling your water for your noodles and have all of your other components ready. When the noodles are nearly ready, assemble your bowls by adding 1 cup (235 ml) of piping hot Tonkotsu soup to each of your prepared bowls of Shoyudare (Step 9) and 1 tablespoon of the Seabura (Step 10) to each serving portion, then add your noodles and place the sliced Chashu on top along with desired toppings. Congratulations, you've done it. Slurp, swallow, enjoy, repeat.

Shio Ramen Soup Base

This recipe starts off with the same components as my Miso Ramen Soup Base but I’ve added fresh and dried shitake mushrooms to give it added depth. It also incorporates the nice fatty flavor of bacon fat.  I experimented with different types of salt for this recipe to see which came through the best. I chose fleur de sel because I liked the earthiness that it added without it being overwhelmingly salty and it helps keep the taste of the soup lingering on the palate.  You can make your own original recipe with any special salt you have on hand.

Shio Ramen Soup Base

Serves: up to 12 servings

Prep time: 45 minutes for making Shio Base, 15 minutes for making broth plus time required to make Ramen Noodles (optional) and topping

Shio Base Ingredients:

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

½ onion, peeled, large dice

3 green onions, white part only, chopped

½ apple, peeled, seeded, and chopped  

1 celery stalk, large dice

3 cloves garlic,

5 fresh shiitake mushrooms

1/2 cup bacon fat*

1 tablespoon sesame oil

3 teaspoons dashi granules (Japanese stock)

2 tablespoons fleur de sel

Broth ingredients:

Unsalted butter ( 2 tbsp per serving)

low sodium chicken or vegetable stock (2 cups per serving)

Mirin (Japanese rice wine) (2 tbsp per serving)

1 large rectangular piece of kombu (about 10” length) – cut into large squares (1 square per serving)

dried shiitake mushrooms, crumbled (2 mushrooms per serving)

salt as the miso base is very salty.

These components need to be made ahead of time:

Ramen Noodles – See recipe for Homemade Ramen Noodles

Chashu and Marinated Half-Cooked Egg - See Chashu and Marinated-Half Cooked Egg recipe

Recommended Toppings:

negi or green onions, fresh spinach, chashu (pork belly), marinated half-cooked egg, garnish with nori (seaweed) square(s).

*  you can omit the bacon fat if you don’t have any but we wouldn’t recommend it. Next time  

   you are cooking bacon in the morning, simply save your fat in a container and refrigerate it! 

Directions:

1.  In a food processor combine the carrot, onion, green onion, apple, celery, garlic and fresh shiitake mushrooms and process until very finely chopped, almost like a paste. It's better to use a food processor, but if you don't have one, finely chop these ingredients by hand.

2.  In a medium size pot, warm the bacon fat and sesame oil over medium high heat. Add the finely chopped vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and apple is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.  Add the dashi and fleur de sel and mix well.

3.  Start making your broth by adding butter to a large saucepan and heat over medium high heat.  Once the butter starts to brown and smells nutty, add the stock, mirin, kombu and crumbled dried shiitake mushrooms.  Bring to a boil reduce to simmer, and cook for for at least 15 minutes, then remove solids with a sieve.

4. While the broth is simmering, place a pot of water to boil for your noodles.

5. Add the Shio Base to the broth (depending on the number of people you are serving, it's 3 tablespoons Shio Base to every 1 cup of broth). Lower heat and let simmer until it's ready to serve. Use about 2 cups soup per serving. Right before serving, crank the heat back up to boil.

6.  When the noodles are cooked, drain well and separate out into serving bowls. Pour two cups of your soup over each bowl of noodles and add your desired toppings.

Shoyu Ramen Soup Base

With this recipe, I’ve slow-cooked oxtail sections within my broth in a good slow cooker, which helps render the fat from the bones without having to constantly stir. You could also make this in a crock pot, large Dutch oven, or heavy-duty pot. The oxtail adds a meaty goodness and complexity to the fat component that complements the soy sauce. You’ll have to go to an Asian market to find dashi, or Japanese stock, which comes in granular form—there are many varieties to choose from, so just make sure to pick one that has bonito sh as the primary ingredient. It’s also important to have dried shiitake mushrooms, as they’ll give a more intense avor to the soup than fresh ones. The nal soup will taste overly salty, but when the noodles are added in, they will soak up the sauce and balance it out.

4 tbsp bacon fat (optional but recommended)
2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into large dice 1⁄2 onion, peeled and cut into large dice
3 green onions, cut into thirds
1 apple, cored and quartered (with skin on)
2 celery stalks, cut into thirds
5 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
5 dried shiitake mushrooms, broken up into small pieces                                                                                                                            1 whole organic chicken
4 medium oxtail sections, roughly 2 inches (5 cm) long
1 lemon, quartered
2 qts (2.2 L) low-sodium chicken stock
3⁄4 cup (175 ml) high-grade soy sauce
4 tsp dashi granules (Japanese stock)
2 tbsp salt
1⁄2 tsp white pepper
1 bay leaf

1. In a crock pot, slow cooker, large Dutch oven or heavy-duty pot, combine the bacon fat, carrots, onion, green onions, apple, celery, garlic, and dried shiitake mushrooms.

2. Add the whole chicken, oxtails, and lemon, then pour over the chicken stock, followed by the soy sauce, dashi, salt, pepper, and bay leaf—the stock should almost cover the chicken.

3. Set the crock pot or slow cooker to high and let cook for 10 hours. If using a large Dutch oven or pot, bring to a boil over a high heat and set in an oven preheated to 200F (90C) for 8–10 hours. When the oxtail meat easily falls off the bone, your soup is done.

4. With a slotted spoon, remove all of the larger solids and discard. Strain the remaining solids with a finer sieve into a large pot. You should have a light brown, glossy, and fat-rich soup. At this point the stock can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for 1 month.

5. In a separate saucepan, bring the Shoyu Base to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer until it’s ready to serve. Right before serving, crank it back up to a boil.

6. Pour 2 cups soup (475 ml) over each bowl of noodles. Top each bowl with desired toppings.

Shoyu Ramen Soup Base

Ramen Tour of Tokyo →

Ramen Tour of Tokyo

Want to try the real deal in Tokyo, Japan?  My colleague Brian MacDuckston from ramenadventures chaperoned us to these six ramenya’s.  I’d highly recommend them for a nice well-rounded tour to experience the different types of ramen available in Tokyo. 

Most Tokyo ramenyas have very minimal seating, with seats at a bar and no waiting area. The chef is always present and is typically only accompanied by one or two apprentices, depending on the size of the shop. It’s quiet. The Japanese like to face the chef and eat without talking or socializing. It is the same at sporting or concert events in Japan, people stand side-by-side but there isn’t much interaction as they enjoy the show. It is their way of showing respect to the performer, and at a ramenya, to the master and his expertise. 

Customers respect the line and wait without complaining, no looking at their phones or talking too much. They place their order and pay at a small ticket machine at the front of the shop, make a line outside and sometimes line up along the wall in the back of the restaurant as their turn draws closer. When a seat opens up, they are prompted. You sit down quickly, hand over your ticket, and wait for your ramen. Within minutes, the bowl is presented on a raised bar in front of you. They dig into their ramen, and finish within 15 minutes. With a polite “gochisosama”, they exit and the next person sits. This efficient system keeps the line moving quickly. 

Some ramenyas are set up in more of a restaurant style with a waiter, a menu, and proper drink service. You are welcome to stay longer at these establishments but my advice is to show respect and do as others do. Eat, enjoy and get out. You can talk later.  

1.    Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta, Master Onishi-san

東京都豊島区巣鴨1-14-1

Tokyo, Toshima-ku, Sugamo 1-14-1

Closest station: Sugamo

Open 11:00-16:00

Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Don't let the name confuse you.  "Soba" translates to noodles, so this is a ramen shop, not the traditional "soba" noodles you are thinking of. This was our first ramen stop in Tokyo and probably the most formal of all of the ramenya’s we went to.  It had a long line at 11AM, it was the first time we used the ticket machine to place an order, and everyone was quiet as a mouse, except for the slurping of course.  We were advised by Brian to only take pictures of the ramen but to do this very quickly.  Our bowls were placed on the raised bar and it was as if we were paying homage by reaching for it with both hands and placing it in front of us to consume. My traveling partner and photographer for the trip, Andi and I each shared the Shoyu and Shio varieties and thought they were divine.  The soup wasn’t too heavy so we were able to finish them both, the egg filled with liquid gold and just enough negi (green onion) and chashu. The Shio version had a delicious green pesto type topping that I think was made with anoriko, a powdered seaweed.

2. LaShowHan, Master Okada-san

東京都千代田区神田錦町 1-4-8

Tokyo, Chioda-ku, Kanda Nishikicho 1-4-8

Closest station: Ogawamachi

Open 11:00-15:00, 17:30-20:00

Saturdays 11:00-14:00, 17:30-20:00

Closed Sundays

This was my first taste of tantanmen, a Japanese adaptation of a Szechwan style spicy noodle dish known as Dan Dan noodles. I don’t tend to like super spicy food, but the Premium Si Chuan Style bowl was not too overpowering and the sansho chili pepper gave it a earthy, lemon taste that just slightly numbed my tongue. I loved that it was served mazemen style (or without soup) so that the spices and the sauce were folded into every bite. I was just as fond of the owner, Master Okada-san. It’s also not a strict sit, eat and get out establishment, which was refreshing! 

3. Mensho Tokyo, Master Shono-san

Address: Yubinbango112-0003 Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo Kasuga 1-15-9 1F Closest Station: Kasuga

Hours 11AM – 3PM and 5PM -11PM

Closed Tuesdays

Web: http://menya-shono.com/tokyo/access/

I ordered the Shoyu-Niboshitare Tonkotsu Ramen with a side of tender lamb.  The tonkotsu is cooked with pork and lamb bones with a lamb chashu and the most interesting prep of menma in long strips to top it off.  My favorite part was Master Shono-san’s signature spice mix of ground cinnamon, cumin, and fennel seeds that was provided in a shaker at the table. The décor and ambience are cool and casual - he has a chandelier made out of Niboshi or dried infant sardines in the front of the restaurant. He also has 5 other ramen shops in Tokyo with one US location in San Francisco

4. Fuunji, Master Miyake-san

Address: Hokuto first 2-14-3 1F, Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Closest station: Shinjuku

Hours 11AM – 3PM and 5PM – 9PM

Open Monday - Saturday

I read about this place on ramenadventures.com before my trip and was so excited to taste their tsukemen, or dipping noodles with Brian himself.  Unfortunately, he had another appt to go to but he made sure we purchased the right ticket at the machine in the back and ushered us in. It was worth the wait - a complex and layered chicken-bone soup with deep fish flavors and an intensity that made every noodle laden bite satisfying. Brian would later tell me that the soup is actually a tori paitan, with chicken bones cooked in the same way you would pork bones for a similar soup. It is then added to a 2nd fish soup to give it that smoky flavor.  This was the first place we’d been to where the line continued to the back of the bar where everyone watched over the customers in anticipation as seats would free up and our line would slowly move ahead.  The master was super serious, very concentrated and intently involved in his preparation for us.  I was mesmerized.

5. Tsukomo, Master Takahashi-san

Address: Hongoku Build. 1F, 1-1-36

Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Closest station: Ebisu

Hours 11AM – 5AM

Open everyday

This ramenya is famous for its Cheese Miso Tonkotsu Ramen. A special type of local artisan cheese called Golden Gouda is incorporated into the soup and also piled high on top. It’s shaved to almost a powder form right at the bar so it sinks and melts into the soup to give you a rich, thick satisfying meal. You won’t be hungry an hour or five later. 

6. Usagi Shokudo, Master Mori-san

Address: Aobadai 1-30-12 Meguro-ku,Tokyo Closest station: Naka-Meguro

Open 11:30AM to 10PM

Closed Mondays

They serve tori paitan here which is ramen with a creamy chicken soup. There are only two menu items and they were out of one so we ordered the torishiroramen - their signature creamy chicken soup with a shiodare.  There were delicate pieces of perfectly tender chicken and thin fried onions and shredded negi (Japanese green onion) on top with a crispy piece of garlic toast and some sweet minced garlic on the side.  It was a graceful dish and very well orchestrated.  The restaurant is more upscale in a seated restaurant style space.  The line here took a little longer because of this but it was well worth the wait. They were voted best rookie tori paitan by Tokyo Ramen of the Year magazine in 2014, deservedly so.  

Basic Ramen Toppings

It's time to make Ramen Toppings!  Don't try to do this all in 1 day - follow my step by step process for an easier way to make ramen at home.

Step 1: Make Miso Ramen Soup Base - keeping in mind there are 3 other basic soups I will show you later:

Shio - salt based, Shoyu - soy sauce based, and Tonkotsu - pork bone based

Step 2:  Make Homemade Ramen Noodles or buy fresh ones at the store

Step 3: Make Ramen Toppings

Here's a list of basic ramen toppings that you use at your discretion at any time along with those that require some time to make.  There's no hard and fast rule for what to top your ramen with, but what's most traditional are negi or Japanese green onion (use what's available to you), a half-cooked egg, chashu (braised pork), menma (seasoned bamboo shoots), sweet corn, kamaboko (Japanese fish cake) and roasted nori (seaweed).  In Japan, toppings as well as soup bases vary by region but here in America, anything goes.  I'll start by giving you the recipes for Chashu, Kakuni, Menma, Eggs 3 Ways and Roasting Nori.  Have fun and add what you like to make your own unique variation!

• Basic Condiments: white pepper, shoyu (soy sauce), shichimi-togarashi (mixed chili pepper spice), chili paste, fresh garlic, vinegar, chili oil, sesame seeds, curry powder
• Basic Toppings - negi (green onion), sweet corn, parsley, butter, onions, kimchee, yuzu citrus, bean sprouts, spinach, ginger, mushrooms (shitake, kirurage), and kamaboko (Japanese fish cake)
• Topping that require recipes -
  • Chashu (braised pork) – sweet, Chinese style
  • Kakuni (slow cooked pork belly cut into cubes and braised)
  • Menma (seasoned bamboo shoots)
  • Eggs 3 ways
    • Marinated half-cooked eggs
    • Poached eggs
    • Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet)
  • Roasted Nori (seaweed)
  • Beni Shoga (pickled ginger)
  • Mayu (black garlic oil)
  • Roasted garlic butter
  • Miso butter
  • Garlic chips
  • Fried onion
  • Fried string potatoes

Roasted Nori

Roasted Nori (Seaweed) Makes as much as you need

Prep time: 2 minutes

These days you can find roasted and flavored seaweed in grocery stores, coffee shops, even vending machines. I prefer to roast my own because I feel like some of the varieties out there are too oily or don’t stay crispy when you eat it with steamed rice. If you purchase a package of seaweed made for sushi in big sheets, you can roast these over an open gas flame in seconds. I promise you'll never go back to those instant packs. These are crispier, tastier and you can make much more for the cost.

Ingredients:

Japanese nori (seaweed) in sheets

cooking spray or sesame oil

Directions:

1. Spray both sides of each sheet of seaweed with cooking spray or take a folded paper towel with some sesame oil on it to apply.
2. Over a low flame on a gas stove, gently waft the seaweed back and forth on both sides until the seaweed crisps up.
3. Set the finished roasted seaweed sheets on a paper towel and repeat with additional sheets.
4. Sprinkle each sheet with sea salt and stack them about 4 or 5 high.
5. Cut into fourths with a sharp chef's knife or with kitchen shears.

Here's a short tutorial video on how it's done! http://youtu.be/4nbZ4g3wFCM

Eggs Three Ways for Ramen

On my culinary adventure to seek out the best bowls of ramen at proper ramenya’s, one thing remained consistent - high quality bowls were topped with a perfect half-cooked egg: a centered bright yolk the color of a gleaming sunset - just barely cooked, resulting in a thick liquid center that oozes all over your ramen with whites that are smooth as silk, springy but still firm, with no trace of grey or pale yellow anywhere. A perfect egg completes a bowl…but who has time to be perfect? My friend Robin can’t stand a runny yoke, I get it. So make your egg(s) the way you like them: half-cooked, fully-cooked, poached, raw, Japanese omelet style. Here are the recipes for three different egg options to suit your egg-fancy.

Ajitsuke Tamago (Marinated Half-Cooked Egg)

I try to save time when it comes to cooking in my house, so this recipe is actually two.  The ingredients I use to soak my half-cooked eggs in are the same as my mom’s recipe for teriyaki sauce. If you want to skip the teriyaki sauce step entirely, then that’s fine too.  The other short cut – if you are making or plan to make Chashu or Kakuni, then you can use the braising liquid left over to soak your eggs in vs. making the teriyaki sauce below. This would be the preferred method. See recipe for Chashu and Kakuni here. 

Makes 6 eggs and 2 cups teriyaki sauce or use reserved chashu marinade

Prep time: 1 hour prep, 2 days to marinate

Ingredients:

6 eggs at room temperature **

½ cup bonito fish flakes

Teriyaki Sauce:

1 cup shoyu (soy sauce)

1 cup sugar

1½ teaspoons ginger, grated *

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

½  cup mirin (sweet rice wine)

*  A simple way to grate ginger is to freeze it and use a microplane or Japanese ginger grater.  No need to remove the skin. Ginger must be frozen for at least 6 hours.  

** Poke a pin sized hole in the bottom of the egg to help easily remove the peel. Bring eggs to an even temperature in a warm water bath for 5 minutes.

Directions:

1.    In a medium saucepan over high heat, whisk together the shoyu, sugar, ginger and garlic in a medium saucepan. Once the mixture starts bubbling and the sugar melts, remove from the heat. Make sure it doesn’t bubble over. Stir in the mirin and cool to room temperature or refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  

2.    Bring a large pot of water to a boil. With a slotted spoon or a Chinese strainer, gently add the eggs to the boiling water, and immediately set a timer for 6 ½ minutes.   

3.    While the eggs are cooking, prepare an ice-bath for your eggs. And when the eggs are done, immediately transfer them to the ice bath.

4.    Let the eggs cool in the ice-bath for about 10 minutes, remove the eggs and peel them.

5.    In a container shallow enough so that the eggs can be covered in liquid, combine 3 cups water and 1 cup teriyaki sauce or 1 cup Chashu liquid. Add your eggs, put a paper towel over the eggs and cover the paper towel with bonito fish flakes. The weight of the paper towel will help marinate the eggs on all sides and the bonito will flavor the eggs. Let marinate and refrigerate for 2 days.

6.    Remove the eggs from their soaking liquid, and cut in half with a very sharp knife.  You’ll end up with a beautiful half-cooked egg filled with liquid-gold goodness, ready to complete any ramen recipe! 

Poached Eggs

Poached eggs aren’t as labor intensive as marinated half-cooked eggs and their runny center provides an instant sauce to swirl into ramen soup. Cook them ahead of time and when your other ramen components are ready to assemble, just warm the poached egges in the ramen cooking water for 10 seconds before slicing and gently transferring to the bowl.   

Makes as many eggs as you need

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Eggs

Water

A dash of white vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice

Directions:

1.    Fill a medium-sized pot with about 1½ inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat.. Add white vinegar or lemon juice. This will help the eggs to coagulate quicker and reduce the amount of feathering around the edges, but don’t add too much or the eggs will taste sour. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce to just above a simmer.

2.    Crack an egg into a small ramekin or cup.  If poaching more than one egg,  prepare up to 3 ramekins at a time.

3.    Gently slide the eggs into the simmering water.  Take care not to crowd the pan. I don’t recommend cooking more than three at a time.

4.    Cook the eggs until the whites are opaque, about 3 ½ minutes.

5.    With a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked eggs to a paper towel to drain.  If not using immediately, store in a water bath in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. 

Japanese Omelet – Tamagoyaki

If you can get your hands on a Japanase Tamagoyaki frying pan, you’ll make a much more visually appealing omelet.  If you don’t have one, a regular frying pan will work but you won’t achieve the same uniform rectangular shape that distinguishes this omelet.

Makes enough for 4 portions of ramen

Prep time: 10 minutes  

Ingredients:

1 green onion, chopped

3 eggs

1 teaspoon shoyu (soy sauce)

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

vegetable oil (use spray oil to make it easier to coat the pan between each layer of egg.

 Directions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the eggs with the green onion, shoyu, sugar and salt until foamy.

1.    In a medium skillet over  medium-high heat, warm 1 teaspoon vegetable oil into a rectangular tamagoyaki frying pan. Add a tiny bit of egg to the pan. If it sizzles on contact, the pan is sufficiently hot. Add about ¼ of the egg mixture to the pan and tilt the pan so that the egg mixture covers the bottom in thin even layer.  The egg will start cooking quickly so you’ll need to move fast.  

2.    With chopsticks, gently roll the egg mixture tightly towards you from the part of the pan furthest from the handle until it resembles an omelet.

3.    Quickly add a little more oil to the exposed part of the pan.

4.    Pour another ¼ cup of the egg mixture into the pan, lifting up the cooked portion to get some egg underneath it to cook.

5.    Roll the egg mixture away from you this time as it combines and attaches to the rest of the egg layer.  Nudge it to the back to the front of the pan, where you started before.

6.    Repeat two more times until you’ve used all of the egg, the omelet will obviously increase in size with each layer.

7.    Roll the omelet out of the pan and you should have a rectangular shaped block with your layers of egg.  Let cool and slice vertically before serving.