My love affair with mushrooms started when I was a kid, when I would go wild-mushroom hunting with my father in the forests that surrounded my hometown of Mito. I still love their earthy, nutty taste, and the different textures found in different varieties. In fact, when you dine at my restaurant, you’ll see I use them in everything from appetizers to main courses. Mushroom ramen isn’t a dish you’ll typically see in a Japanese ramen shop, but I think the two ingredients work perfectly, especially accented with shungiku, which are tangy chrysanthemum leaves.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　

Shio Broth

8 cups Ramen Chicken Stock (page 10)

　　1 1/2 cups Shio Base (page 11)

　　

Mushroom Ramen

2 tablespoons sesame oil

　　1 cup peeled and thinly sliced gobo (burdock root; can substitute with salsify)

　　1 cup drained canned straw mushrooms

　　10 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick pieces

　　2 cups trimmed shimeji mushrooms

　　1 cup stemmed enoki mushrooms

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic

　　1 1/3 cups small tofu cubes (about 7 ounces, cut into 1/2 inch squares)

　　1/2 cup chopped scallions, both white and green parts

　　20 sprigs shungiku, cut into thirds

　　1/4 cup cornstarch

　　1/4 cup cold water

　　4 (7-ounce) pieces frozen ramen noodles

　　4 teaspoons garlic chips (page 106)

　　

Step 1

To make the broth, combine the chicken stock and Shio Base in a pot placed over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover to keep warm.

　　

Step 2

To make the ramen, in a very large sauté pan or wide-bottomed pot, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the gobo and cook until caramelized on all sides, about 3 minutes. Add all the mushrooms and the garlic and increase the heat to high. Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring often, then add the shio broth and tofu.

　　

Step 3

Once the liquid comes to a boil, add the scallions and shungiku. Cook for 1 minute. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water and add to the boiling broth. Cook for 1 minute longer, then decrease the heat to low.

　　

Step 4

Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the ramen noodles and cook, following package instructions. Drain well and divide among 4 bowls. Top each with the one-fourth of the broth and vegetables, and garnish with 1 teaspoon of the garlic chips.

　　Takashi's Noodles