Do try out my simple ramen soup recipe with a homemade prawn broth… That broth is hands down the best prawn broth ever! This ramen soup bowl also makes a delicious Asian style lunch.
Are you familiar with ramen soups?
This ramen soup recipe below shows yet again how drop dead simple it is to easily sneak some Asian flavors into your weekly menus.
And brighten up your cooking skills as well.
Ramen
I am very confident that you probably have most of the ingredients that are listed below at home at all times (I reckon) because they are pretty easy to find everywhere.
As you can see below: we will make our own prawn broth here.
So why make a homemade broth then?
Well because it is the best broth ever!
Homemade Prawn Broth
It might sound quite hard to prepare but it is not.
In fact making this broth from scratch is plain and simple.
Pan fry the prawn heads and scales to bring out that strong prawn flavor, add some stock, simmer and reduce the ingredients.
Then mash the heads up (because that’s a source of immense flavor) and finally strain the broth.
And just watch what a flavorful liquid you end up with.
Yum!
Easy Prawn & Ramen Soup Recipe
You can prepare a fresh prawn broth in about 10 minutes.
Nothing artificial.
Try it and you will see how much natural flavor you can get out of those prawn heads. This broth it the perfect base for our ramen soup recipe!
And for any other type of seafood dish!
Take a look at my prawn spaghetti in a creamy prawn bisque sauce…
Finger licking good.
Prawn Bisque
I bought the ramen noodles in my local supermarket.
If you can’t find any, don’t worry.
This prawn ramen soup recipe also tastes great with any other type of noodles such as egg noodles, soba noodles or rice noodles.
Is it impossible for you to find noodles around where you live?
No need to panic because cooked spaghetti is just perfect too in that case.
Oh hey, do you know the difference between prawns and shrimp by the way?
Well they look the same and they taste the same, but then there is in fact a difference if you look closer. Just take a close look at its legs.
There are ten legs, five pairs.
Prawns vs. Shrimp
But how many tiny claws are on the end of those legs?
Do you count four, two pairs of leg with claws? Then you have bought shrimp. Can you see six claws, three pairs?
Then you are dealing with a prawn.
Oh well, if anybody asks you one fine day now you know what the answer is!
Enjoy!
Easy Ramen Soup Recipe with Prawns & Roe
Simple ramen soup with homemade prawn broth...
- 6 prawns fresh or frozen
- 3 cups chicken or fish stock (720 ml), warm
- 2 packages instant ramen noodles
- 1 inch fresh ginger (2,5 cm)
- 1 large garlic clove peeled
- a handful edamame beans or broad beans
- 2 tsp salmon roe (optional)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp nori seaweed sliced finely
- toasted sesame oil
- vegetable oil
- pepper
- salt
Let the prawns thaw fully if using frozen ones. Then peel the prawns (leave the tails on). Add heads and scales, fresh ginger, garlic and some vegetable oil to a high pan. Season with a pinch of pepper.
- Place the pan over medium high heat until the oil is hot. Stir fry the ingredients for 3 minutes. Then pour in ½ cup (120 ml) of chicken or fish stock.
Bring this to a good boil. Then turn the heat lower. Cover the pan and let the ingredients simmer for 7 minutes. With a potato masher (or a fork) squeeze the cooked prawn heads (because that's where all the flavor comes from). Then strain the prawn soup mixture through a fine sieve and catch the prawn broth.
Pour the broth back into the pan and reheat it. Pour in the remaining chicken or fish stock. Check the seasoning and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary. Then add the prawns, edamame (or broad beans) and noodles.
Simmer the soup for 5 minutes until the noodles are tender. Scoop the hot ramen soup into bowls. Then garnish with the cooked prawns, edamame and salmon roe (optional). Sprinkle with sesame seeds, sliced nori and a few drops of sesame oil. Serve hot.
Ramen in Japan
This ramen soup recipe is a popular dish in Japan.
Have you been to Japan before?
I was there a couple of months ago and I loved it.
And yes, you can eat ramen every day and everywhere because it is a very popular meal there. A steaming bowl of hot broth with a bunch of silky ramen noodles and topped with a soft boiled egg, finely chopped spring onions and sesame seeds.
Bring it on.
Burnt Miso Ramen Soup @ Gogyo
Goodie paradise!
So then what is the best ramen soup recipe that I tasted there?
Well I can give you an answer to that right away: that was in Kyoto in a restaurant called Gogyo because that is where I ordered the burnt miso ramen.
The waitress put a huge black bowl of pitch black oily soup in from of me.
But what an amazing smell!
I instantly loved this powerful and pleasantly oily soup.
And I loved the sliced fatty pork in it (I ordered only have a portion of meat but that was more than enough).
What is Burnt Miso?
Gosh, what a black liquid.
But what is it?
I tried to find the burnt miso soup base in Japanese supermarkets so that I would be able to try an copy their ramen soup recipe at home.
But as it turned out after a little research, the burnt miso that I was looking for is basically stir fried miso that is charred.
At least that is what I found out after googling it.
Well! I got some miso paste in my pantry.
Something new to try out…
Experiment
You will find mostly pork or chicken in ramen soups.
Here is also the reason why the broth is so flavorful.
The (cooked) pork or chicken is first pan fried because you need that grease and those flavorful juices. Then (homemade) stock is added and brought to a good boil.
The meat is usually removed and added back to the hot soup once the ramen noodles are added.
That is how to make a proper ramen soup recipe at home!
Fresh Ramen Broth
Hey, does this method sound somewhat familiar to you then?
Well yes!
Because this technique is the one I also use to make my prawn ramen soup recipe! First pan fry whatever protein you are using and then start building up your soup base from there.
OK, I am not frying the prawns here but the heads and scales.
You don’t want to overcook those prawn, right. They need very little cooking. Chicken and pork are totally different to cook.
But to get that superb prawn flavor anyway, why not use the heads and scales since you are going to throw them out anyway?
Prawn Heads
I can assure you: once you have made this prawn broth or at least have used those heads and scales for any type of dish, then you will never throw them away again without using them for another dish because you will love it.
Let me give you a couple of recipe ideas here.
I have already mentioned my prawn spaghetti in a creamy prawn bisque sauce earlier on.
And what about this next idea: a rustic prawn head soup with soba noodles. Or do you prefer to step up your cooking skills and try your hand at shrimp croquettes? I love those croquettes to bits. Absolute bliss.
And again: homemade!
Croquettes
Maybe you prefer my fish, prawn and tomato chowder? Now that one is a winner for sure. Creamy, tacky, filling and silky smooth: just what a chowder should be.
In the meantime I hope that you will enjoy this ramen soup recipe as much as we did. Also try that homemade prawn broth.
Because it is worth every second of you time…
You will love my ramen soup recipe!
Looks so good