This recipe is for Smokey Shitake Chicken Ramen, it can be a little spicy and is GREAT for cold winter mornings :)
If people like this recipe i use, then ill go ahead and make more instructables on other kinds.

I have a lot of friends ask me how i make my ramen, and for the longest time i always tried to explain it to them. Now I'm pretty terrible at explaining things so i figured its about time that i go ahead and make a tutorial on it.

Please feel free to ask my any questions as we go along! I dont bite :)

**Please note I've changed the name of this ramen instructable from "How to make real japanese ramen" to its current as i now plan to make more and it would end up making no sense, so i will instead list them under their proper names instead. Thank you to everyone who has asked me to do more! You are my drive :)**

Step 1: What You Will Need.

1) Sushi Ginger
2) Rice seasoning (Mine is Nori, Wasabi, Sesame seeds etc.)
3) Chopped Chives
4) Soy sauce
5) Sake (Rice wine)
6) 1 packet (100g - 150g) Ramen Noodles (not the dry kind (Can use the dry kind by nissin, chicken and tonkotsu are best))
7) Measuring cup
8) Ramen Dish
9) Green onions/Spring onions
10) Smoked chicken
11) Shitake Mushrooms
12) Baby corn, Radish, Ginger, Garlic, Egg
13) Seasme Oil (not pictured)
14) Chicken Stock cubes

I made this recipe showing packet ramen, but i dont use it. This is just an option for those who cannot make their own ramen noodles. I have an instructable on making your own noodles HERE

You can also use cheap premade noodles like nissin tonkotsu etc, just follow all the instructions as normal, except dont add the stock, add the packets that come with the noodles instead! :D

**PLEASE NOTE** If you are not fast at food prep i think you should prep your toppings before you do anything else, so your ramen isnt left sitting while you are slowly cutting everything up. (all except the egg). Just take a look at step 6. I always prep my toppings while everything is cooking, as i find it easier.

The second picture is my spice collection, i recommend you collect something like this if you plan to eat ramen a lot :)

Step 2: Prep Your Shitake!

I buy dehydrated Shitake, for two reasons. One, it lasts a really long time if stored correctly. Two, the water you use to rehydrate them, makes excellent stock.

Prepping shitake is very easy. Just boil a kettle, put 4 shitake mushrooms in a measuring cup and fill it up with boiling water to 500ml. Let those mushrooms stand for about 30 mins. Watch some TV or prep your toppings.

Step 3: First Things First!

Boil your egg!

I stab a hole in mine, just a very very small one in one end. It makes it easier to peel when its done. So your not juggling a hot egg or peeling off tiny pieces and going crazy. Its normal for a small amount of egg to ooze out while its cooking.

I let my water get super hot first, once boiling thats when i put my egg in, now i like mine pretty soft so i only leave it for about 5 - 6 mins, if you want it harder leave it longer!

While your egg is cooking, or you are waiting for your water to boil, you should make a start on the ingredients you need for your soup. Also start on your toppings.

Step 4: Making the Soup Base.

Start cutting up about half a clove of garlic (you can use more, but i have bad gut flora which tends to get upset when i have too much garlic.) I probably wouldnt use more than a clove though. I also cut off a small piece of ginger, i quite like ginger so i tend to use more than most, its really just a taste thing for the ginger, so add however much you like. Get one green onion and cut it in half, and put the other half aside. Leave the greener end aside for topping later on and dice up the lighter end.

Dice up 2 of the 4 shitake that you put in the water to hydrate, and hopefully you should end up with something looking like picture 2.

In a hot pot, put about a teaspoon, of sesame oil. Leave it to heat so you can see small amounts of steam/smoke coming off it. Then add in your garlic, ginger, onion, and shitake and let it start cooking. While that is cooking add in your chopped chives, and rice seasoning. Cook until lightly brown, and very aromatic. About 2 minutes.

Step 5: Adding the Stock

Add in your Shitake water (all 500ml of it) and 2 chicken stock cubes. The stock cubes i have require 1 cube to every 250ml. Just check the instructions on your own.

Bring it all to the boil. Add in your Sake, i put in a splash but id say a tablespoon of it. Also add in your soy, i add 1/2 the cap of the bottle full, and put that in. (see picture 2.)

Once that boils add in your noodles (any of the kinds i mentioned in the 1st step) I used my own that i hand made which is why they look a little different, as i keep them frozen.

Cook this for about 2 minutes and keep prepping your toppings.

Step 6: Toppings

This is the toppings you can organise while waiting on the soup to cook, or you can do them (except the egg) before you start.

Step 7: Time to Dress It!

This is my ramen finished. Looking kinda boring huh?

This is the part where i dress my ramen up. Hopefully you will have gotten your toppings ready as you went along waiting for this to cook. Use a fork to place your toppings so you dont burn yourself, gently pressing it in to the soup.

I put my baby corn in first, and press it right down into the soup, and then put more on top. Then i add my egg and chilli flakes, mostly on the egg but also on the ramen itself. As you can see i used the "baby corn flowers" to dress up my meat.

Dressing your ramen is very important! and its very fun!
The smoked chicken puts a slight smokey flavour all the way through the ramen, the chilli adds a small amount of heat, as does the spice of the ginger. This ramen is great for colds and winter weather and can even be served with some rocket (Eruca sativa) as well to pepper it up a bit! :)

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions or comments, please leave them i dont bite!
If you make this, show me yours!!