For The Soup:
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion sliced
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root
4 garlic cloves pressed or finely minced
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms stems removed and sliced
1/2 - 3/4 pounds baby bok choy sliced into quarters lengthwise
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1-2 packages fresh yakisoba noodles* one package is about 7 ounces. Use two packages if you like lots of noodles. Fresh noodles are usually found in the produce section of the grocery store
For The Ramen Egg**:
4 eggs
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3/4 cup water
Additional Toppings (Optional):
sliced green onion
cilantro
chili garlic sauce
sesame seeds
lime wedges
To Prepare The Ramen Egg:
1. Whisk together the 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 1/4 cup of rice vinegar and 3/4 cup water, set aside.
2. Prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl with ice and water.
3. Bring a pot of water to boil (make sure there is enough water to cover the eggs). When boiling, carefully lower the eggs into the water using a slotted spoon or spider. Reduce heat if necessary to keep the water just barely boiling. Cook for 7 minutes, then remove from pot and place eggs in the ice bath. Leave in the ice bath for 3 minutes. Remove from ice bath and gently peel (egg will be soft). Place peeled eggs in the marinade and make sure they are completely covered with the marinade. Leave in the marinade for several hours or overnight. If keeping longer, discard the marinade and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat the egg in the ramen broth (don't leave in the broth very long before serving or the egg will overcook).
To Prepare The Noodles:
1. If using fresh noodles, bring a pot of water to a boil. When boiling, add the noodles and simmer for 3 minutes. Strain and rinse with cold water. Toss with just a little oil if necessary to keep them from sticking (mine already had a little oil on them, so I didn't need to). Set aside.
(If using another type of noodle, follow package instructions)
To Prepare The Soup:
1. Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant so that they don't burn. Add the chicken broth and 1 cup of water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce, stir to combine. Bring back to a simmer.
2. When broth reaches a simmer, add the chicken thighs. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and reaches a temperature of 165°F.
3. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Add it back to the broth along with the bok choy and cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
To Serve The Ramen:
1. In a bowl, place a serving of noodles, then pour the soup over them. Top soup with ramen egg, sliced green onions, cilantro and sesame seeds if desired.
*Keep the noodles seperate from the soup until just before serving. For leftovers, store the broth and noodles seperately.**The egg is optional but I really recommend it. If you don't have time to marinade the egg, you can just skip the marinading step. You can also serve with a fried or poached egg if you prefer.