Healthy dinners

Miso-Tofu Hot Pot with Ramen

A soothing hot pot is the perfect excuse to set out ingredients and casually dine at the table. Although this recipe can be executed at the stove, donabe hot pot is traditionally prepared on a portable burner at the table. Cook the tofu and vegetables first, then soak up the delicious broth with chewy ramen noodles as a second course.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 bunch scallions, white parts sliced, green parts thinly diagonally sliced, for garnish
  • 2 teaspoons chile bean sauce (toban djan) (such as Lee Kum Kee)
  • 1/4 cup junmai sake (such as Hakushika Junmai Yamadanishiki)
  • 2 tablespoons white miso
  • 4 cups warm Shiitake Dashi, divided
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 5 large Napa cabbage leaves, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 ounces white beech mushrooms, trimmed and separated into clusters
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled (using a julienne peeler, if desired) and thinly diagonally sliced
  • 7 ounces firm silken tofu, drained and cut into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slabs
  • Coarsely ground toasted sesame seeds, chile oil, kurozu (Japanese black vinegar), and pickled shiitakes, for serving
  • 5 ounce fresh or thawed frozen ramen noodles (such as Sun Noodle), cooked according to package directions

Step by step

  1. Heat sesame oil in a 3-quart classic-style donabe over medium. Add garlic, ginger, and white scallion pieces. Cook, stirring constantly, until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Push mixture to 1 side of pot, and add chile bean sauce to empty side. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in sake, incorporating garlic, ginger, and white scallion pieces; cook 1 minute. Whisk together miso and 1/4 cup shiitake dashi in a small bowl until smooth; set aside. Stir soy sauce and remaining 3 3/4 cups shiitake dashi into pot. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-low.
  2. Uncover and stir in cabbage, mushrooms, and carrots. Add tofu. Cover and cook until tofu is heated through and vegetables are crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in miso mixture. Using a spider or slotted spoon, divide vegetables and tofu between 2 serving bowls (about 2 cups each). Ladle about 1 cup of broth into each bowl; reserve remaining broth in donabe. Garnish with ground sesame seeds, chile oil, kurozu, pickled shiitakes, and green scallion pieces.
  3. Reheat remaining broth (about 1 1/2 cups) in donabe over medium-low until steaming. Add ramen to broth; let stand until heated through. Serve as second course with hot pot.

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