Poor Man's Tonkotsu Ramen
A milky, pork-free ramen broth built from water, milk, bouillon, butter and garlic, with shoyu tare stirred into the bowl. One bowl, 15 minutes, no pork bones.
A milky, pork-free ramen broth built from water, milk, bouillon, butter and garlic, with shoyu tare stirred into the bowl. One bowl, 15 minutes, no pork bones.
Poor Man's Tonkotsu Ramen
Ingredients
Broth
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- ½ tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon minced dried onion
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 small sprinkle white pepper
For the bowl
- 1 tablespoon shoyu tare, see the pantry version recipe
- 1 portion ramen noodles
Instructions
- Simmer the broth.
Put the water, bouillon, butter, garlic, onion, soy sauce and white pepper in a small pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the milk.
Turn the heat to low and stir in the milk. Keep it hot but do not let it boil.
- Cook the noodles.
Cook the noodles in a separate pot of boiling water for the time on the package. Drain well.
- Combine.
Put the shoyu tare in a bowl, add the noodles, then pour the hot broth over them. Stir and eat right away.
Notes
Shoyu tare: The tare is the main seasoning. Use the pantry shoyu tare. Taste the broth before adding more soy sauce.
Milk goes in last: Boiling milk breaks and turns the broth thin and grainy.
Pepper: White pepper builds fast in a small pot. One sprinkle is enough, and an earlier version with 1/2 teaspoon was too much.
Butter: A full tablespoon made the broth greasy. Half a tablespoon was better.
Toppings: Soft-boiled egg, sliced scallion, nori, chashu or leftover roast pork all work.
