The other day I had to make a gluten free dish. And I didn’t want to make a gluten free dessert. Because what happens in this house, is that I end up devouring most of it. Rob has one, or maybe two slices tops, because he avoids sugar. And I can’t feed it to my 15 month old, now can I? That would put me in the spectrum of really, really, …like really bad parent. So I had to come up with something else.
After the images of gluten free pasta (spaghetti, penne, you name it), beef stew or even chicken-leek tart, all passed through my mind briefly, I knew I wanted to try something new. But what? I’ve been craving lots of Chinese food lately. So I thought, how about some nice and warm Ramen? Yes that’s it! Follow your cravings and cook what you would reeaaaally want to eat on that day. Makes you go that extra mile, which makes your food even more delicious.
For my Gluten Free Ramen I used rice noodles. They are thinner and almost transparent. They cook quicker than the normal noodles, 2-3 mins were enough.
The best thing to do is cook the chicken first, or even the day before. I used a cast iron skillet for this job, basically because its easy to just stick it in the oven to finish off the chicken. Heat some olive oil in the pan, then put the chicken breast in. Saute it for around 5-6 mins each side over medium to high fire. What I wanted to achieve here is to brown the chicken nicely. When you are happy with the result, move the chicken into the oven and let it cook for around 20 mins or until thoroughly cooked. Like I said, if you are using a cast iron skillet (or another oven safe pan) just stick it in. Otherwise, transfer meat to a baking dish and finish off in the oven. Remove from the oven (be wary of the hot handle, I have burnt myself way more often than not!) and let it cool. When cool enough, slice it.
In the meantime get your hands on the garlic and ginger. Heat up the sesame oil and saute the garlic and ginger in it for like 3 mins. Right after, add the soy sauce and the dry sherry. Give it a stir and let cook for 2 mins. Then add the chicken broth. 6 cups should be enough. I always have homemade chicken broth in my freezer in 2 cup ziplock bags. Alternatively, you can buy some from the refrigerated section at the grocery store. I always go for good quality broth and avoid the concentrated cubes that usually contain tons of salt. After you add the broth, bring it to boil. Add the shitake mushrooms and cook for another 5 mins. Remove from fire. By the way, I used fresh shitake here. If you are using dried ones, you should cook them more for around 10 mins.
Make the eggs. I prefer my egg almost hardboiled. The yolk is set just enough not to be runny. To get that result, I boiled 2 eggs for 7 mins. After 7 mins, remove from the pot and immediately put them in ice cold water to stop the cooking, then set aside. When the eggs have cooled off, peel and slice in 2. I usually leave that step for the very end. You don’t want your eggs to be completely cold.
Lastly, you make those noodles. As you are waiting for your water to boil, its a good idea to chop up the spring onions. Add the rice noodles in boiling water and cook for around 2-3 mins.
To put everything together. Get your bowl, put some noodles inside with tongs. Add 1 or 2 laddles of broth. On one side place your sliced chicken and add those yummy eggs. Springle with chopped onion and eat while its hot!
Serves 2-3
Time: 40 mins
INGREDIENTS
1 chicken breast ard 200 g (7 oz)
olive oil
2 tsps chopped ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 tbsps sesame oil
4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp dry sherry
6 cups of chicken broth
28 g (1 oz) fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
2-3 eggs (1 egg per person)
4 spring onions
120 g (4.2 oz) rice noodles gluten free
DIRECTIONS
Start with cooking the chicken first. If you have a cast iron skillet use it. Heat some olive oil in, then put the chicken breast in. Saute it for around 5-6 mins each side over medium to high fire until its browned.
Then move the chicken into the oven and let it cook for around 20 mins or until thoroughly cooked. Like I said, if you are using a cast iron skillet (or another oven safe pan) just stick it in. Otherwise, transfer meat to a baking dish and finish off in the oven. Remove from the oven (be wary of the hot handle and let it cool. When cool enough, slice it.
Heat up the sesame oil and saute the garlic and ginger in it for like 3 mins. Right after, add the soy sauce and the dry sherry. Give it a stir and let cook for 2 mins. Then add the chicken broth. Use good quality broth. After you add the broth, bring it to boil. Add the shitake mushrooms and cook for another 5 mins. Remove from fire. If you are using dried mushrooms you should cook them more for around 10 mins.
Boil 2 eggs for 7 mins. That will give you an egg with a set yolk but not runny. After 7 mins, remove from the pot and immediately put them in ice cold water to stop the cooking, then set aside. When the eggs have cooled off, peel and slice in 2. I usually leave that step for the very end. You don’t want your eggs to be completely cold.
Lastly, you make the noodles. As you are waiting for your water to boil, start choppin up the spring onions. Add the rice noodles in boiling water and cook for around 2-3 mins.
To put everything together. Get your bowl, put some noodles inside with tongs. Add 1 or 2 laddles of broth. On one side place your sliced chicken and add those yummy eggs. Springle with chopped onion and eat while its hot!
