We’ve made this several times since our first slurp-fest (see to sip is polite).  Just the other day we had twelve people over (7 were kids, so don’t feel bad that you weren’t invited).  T borrowed a decibel reader and we re-labelled it the Slurp-o-meter.  We took turns slurping into the machine and we averaged our slurps at about 80 decibels (normal conversation is around 50).  It was great fun and kids and adults alike enjoyed the meal. Kudos to the kiddies for using chopsticks.  I was in my thirties before I could master the damned things but most of the youngsters were veterans, so bravo to them.

Ingredients for broth

This recipe is modified for about 4 or 5 people, not 12!

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and sliced thinly

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 litres of vegetable broth (we used Campbell’s Vegetable Broth in tetrapak)

1/2 cup of deglazed baked beet juice mixed with vegetable broth (we had this on hand from baked beets the night before – it really just darkened our broth and enhanced the flavour)

1 tablespoon each of soy sauce (low sodium), veggie stir fry sauce and hoisin sauce (these were arbitrary – any Asian sauces can be mixed and matched but just make sure soy is one of them)

Everything else

Extra firm tofu, 10 slices, very thin.  Marinade in soy sauce for a couple of hours then bake at 350F for 1/2 hour.  If you like ginger, add a very thin slice of it on top of each piece of tofu, then marinade.

2 cups baby bok choy

1/2 cup bean sprouts

1/4 cup scallions, chopped

1/2 cup snow peas

1 medium carrot, sliced into delicate spears

1 boiled egg, sliced

454 gram (16 oz.) package of fresh ramen noodles

Fry onions, garlic and ginger in sauce pan, until clear.  Add sauces – soy, hoisin, stir-fry, continuing to saute for a couple of minutes.  Add one cup of veggie broth, rolling it around in the bottom and sides of the pan to deglaze, and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.  Pour in the rest of the broth, turn up the heat to just before boil, then turn it down to simmer for 20 minutes.

In another pot bring about six cups of salted water to a boil.  Put bok choy, carrots and snow peas into a collander and gently dip it into the boiling water for a minute or so to tenderize the veggies.  Remove them from the water.  In the same water, drop in the ramen noodles, let cook for a couple of minutes, then take out and portion into bowls.  Ladle the soup broth over the noodles.  Place the boiled veggies gently on top of the noodles and broth, along with the scallions and bean sprouts.  Place a slice of boiled egg and pieces of tofu on top of the noodles.

Add fresh-ground pepper, then take a picture.  Bon appetit!