The other day a friend asked me how writing this column had changed the way I cook and eat. I said that I now eat from the store cupboard a lot, and that rice, beans, tinned tomatoes, and the universe of condiments and sauces are a bigger, more important part of my kitchen – in part to create a foundation but, crucially, to add flavour to my meals. Of all the store-cupboard ingredients, peanut butter reigns supreme. It adds a rich, velvet fattiness, not to mention a lovely savouriness (which is not too overpowering), and is a delicious, natural thickener, as in this ramen.
Peanut butter ramen
Gochujang is a sweet and spicy Korean chilli paste that can now be found, along with tempeh (I like the Tofoo brand), in larger supermarkets.
Prep 15 min
Cook 50 min
Serves 4
For the curry paste
3 banana shallots, peeled and chopped to get 100g
2 lemongrass stalks, bottom two-thirds sliced, the rest discarded
10 garlic cloves (30g), peeled and roughly chopped
8cm x 8cm piece fresh ginger (60g), peeled and roughly chopped
2½ tbsp gochujang paste
1¾ tsp salt, plus ½ tsp extra for the tempeh
Rapeseed oil
For the ramen and to serve
3 tsp light brown soft sugar
4 tbsp (65g) smooth peanut butter
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
2 limes, zested and quartered
250g ramen noodles
200g tempeh, chopped into a mince with a knife
250g pak choi, shredded lengthways
40g fresh coriander, chopped
Put all the curry paste ingredients and two tablespoons each of rapeseed oil and water in a small blender and blitz to a smooth paste.
Next, make the ramen broth. Put three tablespoons of rapeseed oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat and, once hot, add the spice paste and fry, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes. Stir in two teaspoons of the sugar and cook for a further two minutes. Transfer a tablespoon and a half of the mix to a bowl and put to one side.
Stir the peanut butter into the pan, then add the coconut milk, lime zest and a litre of water. Bring up to a simmer, then cook on a low heat for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the noodles and tempeh. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain in a colander, rinse under cold water and drain again. Add a little oil to the colander, toss to coat the noodles so they don’t stick, then set aside.
To cook the tempeh, put two tablespoons of rapeseed oil in a nonstick frying pan on a medium heat and, when hot, add the tempeh mince and fry, stirring often, for five minutes, until crisp and browning. Add the reserved curry paste mix, the remaining teaspoon of sugar and the extra half-teaspoon of salt, fry, stirring, for another three or four minutes, then take off the heat.
To serve, divide the ramen broth between four bowls, then divide the noodles between the bowls. Top with the shredded pak choy, crumbled tempeh and coriander, squeeze the juice of a quarter of a lime over each portion and serve with another lime wedge on the side of each bowl.
