Though I say nice things about Andy Raskin's "The Ramen King and I," I have pretty much stopped eating packages of instant ramen and Cup Noodles, and tend not to stock them in the house. The artificial quality and high sodium content frighten me.
On the other hand, I can appreciate fresh noodles served in big bowls of hot broth or stir-fried swiftly with slivers of meat and vegetables. I like the taste and the versatility. Birthday meals, for instance, always include platters of noodles.
In what can be called a stroke of synergy, I am given a copy of "The Wagamama Cookbook."
Written by Hugo Arnold, it includes ideas and recipes from the popular British restaurant chain specializing in soba, ramen and udon noodle dishes. The first outpost opened in London's Bloomsbury neighborhood; there are now dozens of Wagamamas around the world.
I favor chicken ramen and will have to try this version in the near future:
Chicken Ramen
(Charbroiled Chicken and Noodle Soup with Bok Choy and Bamboo Shoots)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
vegetable oil, for oiling
salt and white pepper
9 oz. fresh egg noodles
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 bok choy, trimmed and roughly chopped (or 2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves)
12 pieces bamboo shoots, drained
4 scallions, trimmed and finely sliced
Preheat the broiler or grill. Lightly oil and season the chicken breasts and broil or grill for 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes, slice on the diagonal, and set aside.
Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender. Drain, refresh under cold running water, and divide between 2 bowls.
Heat the chicken or vegetable stock until boiling. Put the bok choy on top of the noodles and ladle in the stock. Top with the sliced chicken, bamboo shoots and scallions. Makes 2 servings.
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I have a Wagamama cookbook from the 90's (the way of the noodle) but have yet to make anything from it (as is the case with most of my cookbooks). It's a treasured souvenir though - a reminder of some of my favorite dishes and memories from the days when there were just a couple of Wagamamas in London (a long, long, long time ago;)
ReplyDelete- CMH