Chilled Ramen with Soy Milk and Chili Oil
A refreshing and complex cold ramen dish featuring a creamy soy milk base, homemade Sichuan chili paste, and miso tare. Topped with fresh vegetables and crunchy garnishes, this dish balances spicy, umami, and cooling flavors.
Ingredients
- •1 piece ginger
- •¼ cup toasted sesame oil
- •¼ cup vegetable oil
- •4½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- •1 tablespoon paprika
- •4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- •1 tablespoon mirin
- •1 tablespoon sugar
- •1 tablespoon miso
- •1 tablespoon sake
- •1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- •2 whole scallions
- •1 piece ginger
- •⅛ whole apple
- •2 cloves garlic
- •⅔ cup miso
- •1 tablespoon mirin
- •1 tablespoon sake
- •1½ teaspoons toban djan
- •½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- •¼ cup vegetable oil
- •2 whole scallions
- •1 teaspoon paprika
- •1 to taste kosher salt
- •20 ounces ramen noodles
- •1 to taste kosher salt
- •3 whole Persian cucumbers
- •1 whole bell pepper
- •½ cup radishes
- •¼ cup basil
- •4 cups soy milk
- •1 strip grapefruit zest
- •2 tablespoons soy sauce
- •¼ cup granola or fried shallots
- •¼ cup garlic chips
- •¼ cup unsalted peanuts
- •¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts
- •1 to taste crunchy toppings
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Bring ginger, sesame oil, vegetable oil, red pepper flakes, and paprika to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let bubble gently 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Add sesame seeds, mirin, raw sugar, miso, sake, and Sichuan peppercorns and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Return paste to a gentle simmer, then let cool.
10 min
- 2.
Cook scallions, ginger, apple, garlic, miso, mirin, sake, toban djan, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, just until warm (do not let it simmer) and garlic no longer tastes raw, about 5 minutes.
5 min
- 3.
Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high until very hot but not quite smoking. Add scallions and paprika; season with salt. Cook, swirling pan often, until scallions are browned and oil is deep red, about 2 minutes. Let cool.
5 min
- 4.
Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, then immediately chill in a bowl of ice water. Drain again.
15 min
- 5.
Toss cucumbers, bell pepper, and radishes with 3 Tbsp. Sichuan chili paste in a small bowl until well coated. Season to taste with salt. Toss in basil.
5 min
- 6.
Whisk miso tare into milk in a medium bowl, then whisk in grapefruit zest and soy sauce.
3 min
- 7.
Divide noodles, then milk mixture and vegetables, among bowls. Toss granola or other crunchy toppings of choice in a little chili oil in a small bowl and scatter over noodles; drizzle with more chili oil.
5 min
- 8.
Sichuan chili paste can be made 1 month ahead. Cover and chill. Miso tare can be made 1 month ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Chile oil can be made 1 month ahead. Cover and chill.
