This recipe was developed for Nissin.

Noodle soup packages are an important part of my pantry, they serve as a base for many types of Asian meals when I don’t have the time to make stock from scratch. With ramen noodle soup as a base, you can make Korean inspired Kimchi Ramen Recipe or this Chinese inspired Noodle Soup with Baby Bok Choy with Crispy Shallots Recipe, by just adding a few ingredients.

This is the second recipe we’ve created for Nissin, the makers of authentic Japanese ramen packages. Their noodles are air-dried, not fried, which results in only 3 grams of fat vs. 13 grams in cheap, supermarket “instant noodles.” Nissin RAOH’s noodles are triple-layered noodles that are air-dried. Learn more about Nissin RAOH in my previous recipe for Kimchi Ramen Recipe.

Making Chinese Flavors Shine in Noodle Soup

Chinese Five Spice Powder

Chinese Five Spice Powder is a blend made of ground cinnamon, clove, star anise, fennel seed and Szechuan peppercorns. It’s a main spice of Chinese roast duck, Chinese pork belly, and many other dishes.

Because we’re starting with a Japanese ramen noodle soup mix, I like to add a dash of Five Spice Powder to the soup to create a more Chinese flavor.

Chinese Chili Bamboo Shoots

Another ingredient that I always have on hand is Chinese Preserved Bamboo Shoots in Chili Oil. It’s the perfect condiment to add a little spice and crunch to noodle soups. The golden bamboo shoots are pickled in chili oil – though the resulting flavor is neither sour nor too spicy. Just the perfect mild crunch of bamboo shoots.

Crispy Shallots

Crispy shallots add a fun crunch! You can make them in minutes, or you can buy a pre-made crispy shallots at most Asian markets – look for “Fried Shallots” or “Crispy Shallots.”

To make your own, slowly heat a neutral flavored oil (peanut, vegetable, canola) with very thinly sliced shallots. I add both ingredients into a pan, and then turn on the heat to medium-low. As the oil heats up, it will fry the shallots AND flavor the oil.

Make sure you don’t burn the shallots, or they will become bitter! Don’t discard the incredible shallot oil – it’s a flavorful finishing oil for steamed vegetables – just drizzle on steamed broccoli.

We like to make a lot! Store in a glass jar or container in pantry.

Mom’s Quick ‘n Easy Steamed Vegetables with Shallot Oil: In a large Corningware or other microwave-oven safe dish with lid, add in rinsed and drained fresh vegetables, such as broccoli florets, baby bok choy leaves, yu choy, cut green beans. Add in 1 teaspoon of chicken boullion powder or organic chicken base, 1 tablespoon of shallot oil. Cover and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir contents. Return to microwave for another minute (or more) until vegetables are cooked through.

*I know many people do not like chicken boullion powder because of the msg. Give Better than Boullion bases a try – they have no added msg. You can use any flavor boullion, I prefer chicken. You can also use 2 tablespoons of chicken/veg stock – and you’ll probably have to season with salt after cooking. The boullion adds intense flavor without adding additional liquid – when cooking these vegetables in the microwave, you don’t need that much liquid.

Noodle Soup with Baby Bok Choy and Crispy Shallots

We’re using Nissin RAOH’s Soy Sauce Umami Ramen. The soup is light and clean, which makes it a great base to customize for Chinese flavors. RAOH means “king of ramen” and it is the best-selling premium instant noodle brands in Japan. If it’s good enough for discriminating Japanese ramen-lovers, then it’s good enough for me!

You can order Nissin RAOH ramen online at Amazon.

 

Enjoy!

More Ramen Recipes to Try

Kimchi Ramen Recipe

Pressure Cooker Ramen Recipe

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