JAPANESE MADE EASY

Spicy sesame, aubergine & courgette ramen

This ramen defies ramen logic by being very delicious despite also being many things that ramen is not supposed to be: fast, simple, vegan, and based on a broth that’s nothing special. This is achieved through copious amounts of fat, particularly in the oil used to cook the veg and the tahini used to enrich the broth. It’s the perfect recipe to make if you need to convince anybody that not all Japanese food, nor all vegan food, is light and healthy.

SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 30 mins MORE EFFORT V

3 courgettes3 tbsp vinegar1 tsp caster or granulated sugar½-1 tbsp chilli flakes, plus a pinch1 large aubergine4 tbsp vegetable oil4 tbsp sesame oil1½ tsp Sichuan pepper, ground4 garlic cloves,1cm piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated4 tbsp soy sauce2 tbsp mirinhot chilli sauce, to taste (optional)1.2 litres mushroom dashi (see recipe below)100g tahini100g white miso¼ Chinese cabbage or similar, roughly chopped400g uncooked ramen noodles2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted and crushed to a coarse powder1 spring onion, finely sliced