This is a two-part stock. It starts as an umami-heavy kombu/mushroom dashi and then adds a vegetable backbone. Intended to mimic the "two-broth" style of non-vegetarian ramen stock.
Note these are estimates. You can vary by more than double without ruining anything, probably.
- 1 medium package (3-4 oz) of dried mushrooms
- 3 sheets of kombu kelp
- Vegetables
These are what I used, but please substitute liberally with what you have. Make sure to include some aromatics (onion, scallion, shallot) and some root vegetables (carrots, turnip). The actual ingredients and even possibly the proportions aren't important.
- 1 onion
- 1 bunch of scallions (I use the green parts and save the whites for other uses)
- 1 leek
- 1 large or 2 small shallot bulbs
- 2 large carrots
- 2 small turnips
- 1 bunch of parsley stalks (what's left when you use the leaves)
- stalks of celery
- Fill a very large stock pot with several gallons of cold water. You want to do this properly, right?
- Put over high heat.
- Add mushrooms and kombu while water is still cold.
- When the water reaches a boil, turn it down to medium (or whatever will keep it at a consistent simmer).
- Simmer for 2-ish hours.
- Remove the kombu.
- Simmer for another hour.
- Remove the mushrooms and reserve for another use, like mushroom pickles.
- If you're using a soup sock, load it with the vegetables and submerge it in the simmering water. Otherwise, dump in all of your vegetables and be prepared to strain in a few hours.
- Simmer for 2-ish hours.
- Your stock should now be quite brown and fragrant. If it is not brown, continue to simmer for another hour.
- Your stock should have reduced by about half by now. Remove your soup sock or strain out your vegetables and put the stock over high heat.
- Continue to reduce by about a third of the remaining liquid, skimming every few minutes.
Skimming is using a fine mesh filter to remove the scum from the top of your stock. This is especially important with meat stocks, but your vegetable stock will benefit from your obsessiveness. Remove scum every 10 minutes or so.
- Cool your stock and store.
In 32oz or smaller containers (so it will cool more quickly) for about two weeks.
Lasts several months to a year, but just eat it already.
I used tofu skin, the saved mushrooms from the stock and quick-cooked zucchini.
- Soak the tofu skins (presumably dried) in warm water for 15-20 minutes until soft.
- Cut into strips and throw in a hot pan until warmed through.
- Toss with soy and sesame seeds.
- Cut into long, thin slices.
- Throw into a hot pan until quite warm.
- Toss with fried chili flakes and chili oil.
- Cut zucchini in half and then in long, quarter-inch strips so that none of the strips is more than half the length of the whole zucchini.
- Heat zucchini in a hot pan until they are mostly soft, 5 minutes or so.
- Toss zucchini with a little soy.
- Cook the noodles and add them to the bowl.
- Add three tablespoons of dark soy sauce.
- Add one teaspoon or more to taste of sesame oil.
- Add one teaspoon or more to taste of chili oil.
- Add about three cups of broth.
- Quickly add some of each of the toppings.
- Top the whole thing with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions.