Sure it helped to have 2 sous chefs in the kitchen, a dish washer and a runner…

but really what made it easy, was all the prep that was done, before my frying pan got hot on the stove.
Yeah all that dirty work, the peeling, the washing, the cutting, the vegetable/fruit grunge jobs…was done before we fired up those ovens and got down to the business of putting out more than 500 plates a day.

Watch my first Kitchen Side Chat of 2014 to see what I like to do to make LIFE EASIER IN THE KITCHEN!!

Comment below if you have any other great tips for me on – How to make life easier in the kitchen.

My Tunie B. loved this soup so much, she had one full bowl for dinner and asked for another right before she went to sleep!

Ramen Noodle Tokyo Soup

Now for one of my all time favorite keep-me-warm winter soup recipes.

I am one of those people who become obsessive with a favorite dish or meal. So much so, that from the very first time I ever try that dish, I am on a mission to experience the tastebuds euphoria that dish gave me, again and again and again…till I can shelve it away, with out feeling I am missing out.

I had eaten by a Tokyo/Japanese inspired restaurant many years ago, when I first came across the insperation for this soup recipe. I remember sitting at the table, taking my first bite, and just not being able to concentrate on anything or anyone, but the pure amazingness of the powerful yet subtle flavor of ginger and garlic that was the essence of my bowl. Add in my childhood desire for endless ramen noodles, and all my food love and happiness was steaming up in the bowl right in front of me.

I had to recreate it. And so after many, many tries, (who knew that a combo of sherry , shoyo or soy sauce, and a dash of sweet teriyaki was the trifecta of flavors) that helped make this soup one of the top five things I would eat every day, if I could.

It is a recipe that I make over and over and over again, with anything and everything that is in my fridge. (feel free to substitute and add vegetables to your hearts desire). Which is why if you start prepping your vegetables like I do when you get back home from your grocery shopping, you will find yourself just wanting to make something that is chock full of all those gorgeous fresh produce you just worked so hard getting ready. This soup – works for me every time. Also, in this cold harsh winter that we are having here in the east coast, this soup with all its healing ginger and garlic, makes the perfect cold remedy for the sniffles.

You can make this soup vegetarian (can add a hard boiled egg or two to your dish for the protein), but I love it with the flankin/steak and chicken, not only do they lend tremendous flavor to this already robust soup, they make this bowl into a full delicious meal.

Ingredients:
serves 5-6
2 tbsp. toasted sesame seed oil (or olive oil)
12 scallion stalks, whites and greens, washed
3 -4 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and quartered
8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 6-8 ounce boneless steaks or flankin
5 Chicken legs
1 tsp. kosher salt
generous pinch of black pepper
1 extra large carrot, peeled and chopped into large bite size pieces
1 small red pepper, diced
1 small yellow pepper, diced
1 small parsnip, chopped into large pieces
1 medium zucchini, chopped into large pieces
1/2 cup of frozen endamamme
1 small onion, quartered
7 cups of water
1/2 cup cooking sherry or good semi dry red wine
1/4 cup sweet teriyaki
1/4 cup shoyo or less sodium soy sauce
a pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
4 packages of plain Ramen Noodles (do NOT use the packets that come with them just the noodles)

Directions:
In a large wok or soup pot, add toasted sesame oil and heat on medium high flame. Add
the scallions, ginger and garlic, toss and coat in the oil. Let the mixture cook for about one minute.
Add the steak, and chicken legs to the pot, toss and season with the salt and pepper. Let everything cook together for about 3 minutes, making sure to mix with your spoon frequently.
Then add all the rest of the vegetables, mix and let cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the water, sherry, sweet teriyaki, shoyo and bring the soup to a boil. Lower flame to medium, and cover the entire pot, continue to cook for 70-90 minutes, or until meat is fully cooked through and the broth has darkened and reduced a little.

While the soup is cooking, boil water in a second small soup pot and cook the ramen noodles. Set aside till ready to serve. Once soup is ready, add noodles to the soup and serve hot. Garnish with crunch Chinese noodles.

The post Making life easier …in the kitchen {Ramen Noodle Soup – Tokyo Style} appeared first on the Patchke Princess.