I still remember the first time I tasted these crispy, Chinese-style noodles, on a high school trip to the southern Japanese port city of Nagasaki. This ramen dish is a hallmark of that part of the country, especially when combined with seafood—the seafood in Nagasaki is unbelievably good. This area is also geographically close to China and Korea, and is influenced by their cultures. Nagasaki, in fact, has the oldest Chinatown in Japan, established in the 1600s. You can try other seafood combinations in this recipe, too. Fish also works great with fried ramen noodles.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1/4 cup dried wood ear mushrooms

　　1 cup hot water

　　1/4 cup sesame oil

　　8 shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails on

　　4 pieces squid, cleaned and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rings

　　20 bay scallops (about 4 ounces)

　　16 pea pods, stemmed

　　4 cups chopped napa cabbage

　　1 cup stemmed enoki mushrooms

　　1/2 cup sliced canned water chestnuts

　　1/2 cup peeled and thinly sliced carrots

　　1 cup chopped baby bok choy

　　1/4 cup Shio Base (page 11)

　　2 cups Ramen Chicken Stock (page 10)

　　2 tablespoons rice vinegar

　　1/4 cup Japanese soy sauce

　　4 teaspoons sugar

　　2 tablespoons cornstarch

　　2 tablespoons cold water

　　Dash of hot chili oil

　　Pinch of ground pepper

　　6 ounces age-men (ready-made fried ramen noodles, available in Asian food stores)

　　4 teaspoons hot mustard

　　

Step 1

In a small bowl, cover the wood ear mushrooms with the hot water and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain the liquid and thinly slice the mushrooms. Set aside.

　　

Step 2

Heat 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil in a very large sauté pan or wide pot placed over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute, then add the squid and scallops. Cook for an additional minute, or until all the seafood is seared on each side but not necessarily cooked through. Remove the seafood from the pan and set aside.

　　

Step 3

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil to the same pan and return it to high heat. Add the pea pods, napa cabbage, enoki and wood ear mushrooms, water chestnuts, carrots, and bok choy. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

　　

Step 4

Meanwhile, combine the Shio Base and chicken stock in a small pot over high heat. Bring the liquid to a boil, then add it to the sautéed vegetables. Add in the seafood, followed by the vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar.

　　

Step 5

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Add it to the boiling liquid and cook for an additional minute. Season to taste with the chili oil and ground pepper.

　　

Step 6

Divide the fried noodles among 4 plates and place 1 teaspoon of hot mustard on the side of each plate. Top the noodles with one-fourth of the seafood and vegetable mixture. Mix well before eating.

　　Takashi's Noodles