In this season of festive madness, we all need a little mindfulness – especially if it comes in the form of a bowl of ramen. Here, plant-based cook Gemma Ogden shares a recipe from her new book for a dish that's good for both body and spirit...
Mindful ramen
Even the process of making ramen relaxes me. Take a moment to pause and enjoy this bowl of food before you eat it. Stopping, being mindful and taking a breath just to appreciate what is around us can be instantly grounding and calming for the body and mind. Add as many raw, bright veggies as you like – the different colours always cheer me up! Shiitake mushrooms are full of B-vitamins to boost your mood and reduce stress.
SERVES 2 | Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 tbsp miso paste
a handful of dried seaweed (optional)
a handful of dried shiitake mushrooms
a slice of fresh ginger
1 tbsp tamari
70g noodles (e.g. buckwheat or soba)
1 tsp coconut or olive oil
100g firm tofu (I use chickpea tofu, but any firm tofu will do), sliced thickly
2 handfuls of raw chopped veggies (e.g. pak choi, beansprouts, sliced carrots, spinach and radish)
To serve
1 chopped fresh chilli (if you like it hot)
Method
Put the miso paste, seaweed (if using), mushrooms and 1 litre water in a saucepan on a high heat and bring to the boil. Add the ginger and tamari, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
In a separate saucepan cook the noodles in boiling water for 6–7 minutes, or according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and put to one side.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and lightly fry the tofu for 2 minutes on each side, then put to one side.
Strain the broth into a jug using a sieve. Put the cooked noodles and the raw veggies into the bottom of two soup bowls and pour the broth over the top. Slice some of the mushrooms and seaweed from the strained broth and add to the ramen. Top with the tofu and scatter over the chopped chilli, if using.
Freeze the strained broth in batches for future ramen-making or to use as a tasty stock for soups and stews.
Extracted from The Self-Care Cookbook by Gemma Ogston, published by Vermillion at £14.99. Photography by Gemma Ogston.
