Mushroom broth ramen with mushroom and pork meatballs

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Ramen:

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp finely grated ginger

4 spring onions, thinly sliced

500ml chicken stock

500ml mushroom stock

100g white miso paste

1 Tbsp Gochujang (or any red chilli paste of your choice)

1 Tbsp mirin

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

250g portabellini or button mushrooms, sliced

2 baby bok choi, halved lengthwise

450g dried ramen noodles

2 large eggs

For the meatballs:

250g white button mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated

2 tsp sesame oil

½ tsp salt

½  tsp chilli flakes, or more to taste

¼ cup panko breadcrumbs

1 egg

250g pork mince

Olive oil

To serve: sesame seeds, sliced spring onions, sliced red chillies

Method:

For the meatballs:

Place mushrooms into a food processor and blitz until finely diced.

Fry mushrooms in a pan with a little drizzle of olive oil to remove as much moisture as possible.

Add mushrooms to a bowl and allow to cool.

Once mushrooms have cooled add the garlic, ginger, sesame oil, salt, chilli flakes, breadcrumbs and egg. Mix well. Finally add the pork mince and mix thoroughly.

Shape into 12 meatballs.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large non-stick pan. Fry off the meatballs until golden brown on all sides and cooked through.

For the eggs:

Boil eggs for 6.5 minutes and then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking.

Set aside for serving.

For the ramen:

Heat a little drizzle of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat

Add the garlic, ginger and spring onions.

Cook for a minute until fragrant.

Pour in both stocks and bring to a simmer.

Add the miso paste and whisk it in until completely dissolved.

Add the Gochujang, mirin, soy sauce and sesame oil.

Whisk until the Gochujang dissolves.

Add the mushrooms and baby bok choi.

Cook until veg are just tender but retain some good texture.

Turn broth down to a low heat to keep warm.

Cook the noodles as per the packet instructions.

Divide the noodles amongst 4 bowls.

Plate 3 meatballs into each bowl and then divide the broth and veg between the bowls.

Garnish with ½ an egg each, sesame seeds, spring onions and chilli.

For more information visit https://www.mushroominfo.co.za/all-recipes/

Image supplied by: The South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association