While working as the ramen master at noodle chain Ippudo, Fumihiro “Foo” Kanegae was responsible for the creation of more than 600 types of ramen. At his New York-style “ramen diner” Karazishi Botan — which opened in Brooklyn this past winter — he’s scaled that number down to a more manageable five.
Kanegae has also been tinkering with a recipe for a “Miso New York Ramen” that he’s been kind enough to share with InsideHook. Kanegae’s recipe is light on the inscrutable seasonings and MSG that fill your typical ramen packet, and heavy on attentive work and effort from its preparer.
“A bowl of good ramen is always filled with those works from the chef and their feelings towards the guests and the ramen itself,” he tells InsideHook via a translator. “The most important part is to make sure the ramen entertains the guest. For someone eating ramen, it is important to truly enjoy eating ramen. If the ramen can genuinely entertain the eater, obviously the ramen has to taste good too. Fun is tasty, tasty is fun.”
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In addition to making him feel relaxed, Kanegae’s new recipe conjures up feelings of nostalgia for a Hokkaido-style ramen-ya (ramen shop) that opened in his hometown of Fukuoka while he was growing up.
“My father took me there often and it’s where I communicated with him the most,” he says. “It’s a personal memory for me that makes it special. Hokkaido miso ramen has been my soul food and still is. Miso is a fermented ingredient that has many health benefits. It is a ramen type that is good for your body.”
Besides bringing some goodness to your belly, Kanegae is hopeful his recipe for Miso New York Ramen — shared below — will bring a smile to your face.
“When you make ramen, you might realize ramen can make people smile,” he says. “Please don’t forget to smile yourself while making ramen and to enjoy the process from your heart. Your smile will make other people smile. If I were to give a piece of advice to professional and prospective ramen chefs, it would be to use this recipe to investigate and make your own version of miso ramen. I think you’ll get hooked and won’t be able to stop yourself anymore.”
As a beverage pairing for the Miso New York Ramen, Kanegae suggests a sparkling sake. For those who like it spicy, he recommends mixing in some grated garlic and Ichimi Togarashi chili peppers after they’ve been aged in the refrigerator for two to three weeks. “The aging process adds more umami into the spiciness of the chili and pairs well with the ramen,” Kanegae says.
Chef Foo’s Miso New York Ramen
Ingredients (for 1 serving)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Clove of Garlic
1 Tbsp ready-made Yakiniku Sauce
1 Tbsp Red Miso Paste
1.5 Cups (360cc) any Dashi Stock or Hot Water
1 portion Ramen Noodles
1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger Root (minced)
Toppings of your liking (bacon, kale etc.)
Directions
1. Smash the garlic and place in a saucepan with olive oil.
2. Cook until the garlic turns dark, then take them out and leave aside. If you are topping the ramen with bacon, throw in the bacon now, and cook until crispy and take them out.
3. Turn off the heat, add red miso paste in the saucepan. Lightly stir with heated olive oil (while heat is off)
4. Add Dashi stock and Yakiniku sauce to the saucepan, turn the heat back on.
5. In a separate medium pot with boiling water, boil your vegetable toppings (Kale in this case) first, remove them, and then cook your noodles according to the instruction of your noodle package. Drain and place the cooked noodles into your ramen bowl.
5. When the soup in the saucepan starts to boil, stir well to make sure the miso paste has fully dissolved into the soup.
6. Pour the soup over the noodles, and place the toppings with fried garlic and grated ginger on top.
7. Slurp away!
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