Chicken Katsu Ramen
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2
Searching around the web, I found that Pork katsuretsu or cutlet) was invented in Japan in 1899 at a Tokyo restaurant called Rengatei. Katsu generally refers to breaded chicken, tofu, or pork. Usually breaded with panko breadcrumbs, it resembles and tastes like schnitzel. Once considered to be a Japanese version of European cuisine, it is now embraced as the essence of Japanese comfort food, a national dish served with miso soup and rice. Atlanta has some great Ramen and I miss it so much, especially in winter when the steaming noodles would always warm up a dark, cold evening. As a substitute and due to our circumstances with the pandemic, we make this version a lot. It is flavored with both miso and chili paste, is creamy and spicy, and is ideal on chilly Sunday nights when Monday’s tasks are looming and a rich, hearty bowl of Ramen is the only antidote. We like this market for ingredients in the Thai, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese dishes we make.
Ingredients
1 strip of bacon, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
½ inch fresh ginger, grated
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons white miso paste
2 tablespoons chili paste, to taste
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds
coarse, kosher salt
2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 squares of ramen noodles, spice packet discarded if using pre-packaged noodles
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Serving Ingredients
soft or hard-boiled eggs
toasted nori sheets
sesame seeds
green onions
⅓ cup canned or frozen corn, for serving
chili oil, for serving
Preparation
Place a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, shallots, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes and they are slightly caramelized. Pour in the broth, coconut milk, and soy sauce. Whisk in the miso and chili paste. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Pour the breadcrumbs and sesame seeds into a shallow bowl and season with salt. Take each piece of chicken and dredge it through the breadcrumb mixture as you press a little to help adhere the crumbs. Place the chicken on a plate.
If soft boiling an egg, fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Gently add the egg. Allow it to boil for 7 minutes while you cook the chicken. Drain and run under cool water.
Place a large skillet over medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, add chicken and cook on one side until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook the other side for about 3-4 minutes. Transfer each piece to a cutting board. Sprinkle with salt and slice each piece into thin strips.
To Serve
Place noodles into bowls. Strain the broth and pour over noodles. Add sesame oil and let each bowl sit for 5 minutes or until the noodles are soft.
Peel soft-boiled eggs and slice in half. Stir to break the noodles apart and add the chicken.
Top as desired with eggs, corn, green onions, sesame seeds, nori strips, and chili oil.
Serve immediately.
