Please visit our Pinterest page for visual inspiration!

Tuesday nights can be quite challenging when it comes to dinner ideas. While Anthony Bourdain warns against going to a restaurant on a Monday night, Tuesday nights are supposed to be fine for eating out, but it is when cooking at home, that this in-betweener night can offer quite a challenge.

Monday nights call for a comforting pasta after a ‘blue’ day or a healthy salad to amend for the weekend’s sins. Wednesday nights sign the approach of weekend and going out for pizza or lighting up for a braai seem to be in order.

But what to do on a Tuesday night?!

We have asked Deon and Reine Brand of Tamatie Straat Cooking School for a creative idea and they suggest this delicious and interesting alternative to the go-to chicken. Just read the recipe and you will understand: this Chinese Chicken Ramen recipe will put chicken in a whole new light and your Tuesday night dinner will be the highlight of the week.

Chinese Chicken Ramen

While there is confusion about whether it originates form China or Japan, Ramen is an Asian noodle soup dish consisting of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavoured with soy sauce or Miso and with toppings such as sliced pork, dried seaweed, kamaboko and green onions. (Thank you, Wikipedia)

Like many iconic dishes, the origin of the Ramen is as a humble dish that later became popular in Western culture for its contrasting flavours. And according to Jamie Oliver, the Ramen is a dish that allows one to have some fun with flavours, pickles and garnishes.

These contrasting flavours can however be a challenge when it comes to finding a wine partner! For the Chinese Chicken Ramen, we suggest a wine that has both acidity and body, one that brings freshness as well as fullness without being too complicated. Try the 2015 Leopard’s Leap Chenin Blanc or even the 2015 Leopard’s Leap Chardonnay Pinot Noir.

Chinese Chicken Ramen Recipe

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients

Broth:

2 T Sesame / Peanut Oil

3 tsp Ginger, minced

3 tsp Garlic, minced

Shiitake Mushroom stems, minced

3 T Soy Sauce

2 T Mirin / Sake (Rice Vinegar will also do the trick)

4 cups Chicken stock

Chicken:

8 – 12 Chicken Thighs

Salt & Pepper

Sunflower Oil / Olive Oil

1 T butter

At the end:

2 – 4 Eggs, boiled

Dried noodles

Shiitake Mushroom (Stems removed to use in broth)

½ cup Spring Onions, sliced

Optional: Chilies for serving (Jalapenos)

Instructions

1. Prepare the broth by frying the ginger, garlic and minced mushroom stems in the sesame oil until soft, then add the soya, mirin and stock. Leave to simmer on medium heat for 5-8 minutes for flavours to develop.
2. Boil eggs, starting with a cold egg in cold water. As soon as the water boils, continue to boil for 7 minutes for a medium yolk and 8 minutes for a set yolk. Plunge in cold water to stop cooking and peel.
3. Spice chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pan and fry chicken fro approximately 3 -5 minutes a side, adding butter halfway through cooking. Rest chicken.
4. Now cook your dried noodles and mushrooms in the broth for 3- 4 minutes.
5. Prepare your Ramen bowls by packing your sliced chicken, eggs, spring onions, noodles and mushrooms.
6. When serving, pour the warm Ramen broth over your prepped bowls and enjoy steaming hot.