Food

Made some passable ramen and laksa the last couple of days. Not even remotely authentic I'm sure but tasty nonetheless.

I usually make stock from a chicken carcass as the base for (leftover roast chicken) ramen but as I was short of time and wanted to include mushrooms this time I did a stock from dried porcini (with thyme, soy, garlic, ginger, chilli and lemongrass).

Did the chicken stock for as long as I could (turned out to be nearly 90 mins which was actaully ok (just simmered the bones with, celery, onion, tomato, carrot etc). I then add the same finely chopped aromatics as above and let it simmer for anoter half hour at least before straining.

On tasting the mushroom stock had a nice earthy kick and the chicken was pretty good but quite light so I combined them to make two pans of spicy chicken and mushroom broth. Controversial but it really worked. To each of those I can any more soy, ginger, chilli, lemongrass or garlic to taste in the final stages of cooking.

So ramen 1 on monday was filled out with udon noodles, beansprouts, sliced and fried shitake mushrooms, the shredded chicken leg and thigh meat, pak choy, green beans and spring onion. Had lime juice, fresh chilli, corriander, soy and sesame oil on the table to taste. If I was going to make it more Vietnamese I usually go with fish sauce in the broth and fresh mint as well.

Tuesday was pan 2 with coconut milk, extra chilli paste and lime juice before adding the udon, beanspouts, fried (mixed this time) mushrooms, green beans pak choy, thinly sliced red onion and fresh sweetcorn. Same garnish/condiment treatment as above.

Both totally tasty, cheap and stretched one small chicken out to feed two hungry people (two helpings of soup each) for three days.

Claiming a win.