Vegetarian Ramen Soup

This is a vegetarian variation of Japanese Ramen (without meat).

Ingredients:

110-150 g Ramen noodles
3 tablespoons sesame oil (or other oil: avocado, olive...)
350 g firm tofu, drained (by wrapping it in a towel and placing a little weight on the tofu or pressing it with your hands), then cut into cubes
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon peanut butter (or tahini sesame paste)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
A few chopped spring onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cm piece ginger, minced
200 g fresh Shiitake mushrooms (or champignons), chopped
2 carrots, sliced ​​into thin strips
460 ml vegetable stock
1 tablespoon miso paste (or more soy sauce)
2 sheets of seaweed “nori”, sliced
1 can (400 ml) coconut milk
A handful of Bok choy / Pak choi lettuce leaves (or baby spinach leaves)

Instructions:

1. Whisk together peanut butter, maple syrup and soy sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat a little sesame oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
3. Add the tofu and fry for a couple of minutes until lightly browned (make sure to drain off any excess liquid from the tofu).
4. Pour the prepared peanut butter sauce over the tofu. Toss until the tofu has completely absorbed the liquid. Then remove the tofu from the pan.
5. In the same pan, add the spring onions, garlic, ginger and mushrooms and fry for a couple of minutes until the mushrooms are lightly browned and crispy.
6. Season with a pinch of salt if needed (depending on how salty your vegetable stock is).
7. Add the vegetable broth, coconut milk, carrots, miso paste, and nori sheets. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
8. Add the bok choy or spinach and simmer for another 5 minutes.
9. Cook your choice of Ramen noodles (according to package directions) and add to the soup.
10. Ladle the soup into a small soup bowl. You can remove the nori sheets (although they taste great!); add the prepared tofu. Delicious!
Yield: 2 servings
Recipe: wholefoodsoulfoodkitchen.com