Meera Sodha’s Vegan Recipe for Peanut Butter Ramen | Noodles

TThe other day a friend asked me how writing this column had changed the way I cook and eat. I said that I now eat a lot from the store cupboard and that rice, beans, canned tomatoes and the world of condiments and sauces make up a bigger and more important part of my cooking – partly for create a base but, above all, to add flavor to my meals. Of all the ingredients in the cupboard, peanut butter reigns supreme. It adds a rich, velvety fat, not to mention a nice flavor (that’s not too overpowering), and is a delicious natural thickener, like in this ramen.

Peanut Butter Ramen

Gochujang is a sweet and spicy Korean chili paste that can now be found, along with tempeh (I like the Tofoo brand), in major supermarkets.

Preparation 15 mins
Cook 50 minutes
Serves 4

For the curry paste
3 banana shallotspeeled and chopped to obtain 100g
2 stalks of lemongrassbottom two thirds sliced, rest discarded
10 cloves of garlic (30g), peeled and roughly chopped
Piece of fresh ginger 8 cm x 8 cm (60g), peeled and roughly chopped
2½ tablespoons gochujang paste
1¾ teaspoon saltplus ½ extra teaspoon for tempeh
Rapeseed oil

For ramen and to serve
3 teaspoons of soft light brown sugar
4 tablespoons (65 g) creamy peanut butter
1 box of 400 ml coconut milk
2 limeszested and cut into quarters
250g ramen noodles
200 g of tempecut into minced meat with a knife
250g bok choyshredded lengthwise
40 g of fresh corianderchopped

Place all the curry paste ingredients and two tablespoons each of the rapeseed oil and water in a small blender and blend until smooth.

Next, prepare the ramen broth. Put three tablespoons of rapeseed oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and, once hot, add the spice paste and fry, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes. Add two teaspoons of sugar and cook for another two minutes. Transfer one and a half tablespoons of the mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Stir the peanut butter into the pan, then add the coconut milk, lime zest and a quart of water. Bring to the boil, then cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the noodles and tempeh. Cook the noodles according to package directions, then drain them in a colander, rinse them with cold water, and drain them again. Add a little oil to the strainer, toss to coat the noodles so they don’t stick, then set aside.

To cook the tempeh, put two tablespoons of canola oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat and, when hot, add the chopped tempeh and fry, stirring often, for five minutes, until until it is crispy and golden. Add the reserved curry paste mixture, the remaining teaspoon of sugar and the additional half teaspoon of salt, cook, stirring, for another three or four minutes, then remove from the heat.

To serve, divide the ramen broth among four bowls, then divide the noodles between the bowls. Garnish with shredded bok choy, crumbled tempeh and cilantro, squeeze the juice of a lime quarter over each serving and serve with another lime wedge on the side of each bowl.