Homemade Spicy Ramen with Tofu

SPICY MISO PASTE: Pulse all miso paste ingredients together in a food processor until a smooth, thick paste forms. You will use about half of it for this recipe and the other half can be frozen or refrigerated for a few days.

TOFU: Press as much moisture as you can out of the tofu using paper towels or a tofu press. Cut into cubes. In a large pot, heat the oil on medium high heat and start frying the tofu. Once the tofu has browned, add 1/4 cup of the spicy miso paste and cook for another minute or two to get a nice golden color. Remove from pan and set aside.

BROTH: To the same pan, add the chopped shiitake and a tablespoon or so of miso paste and stir fry until golden brown. Add the stock and soy milk and bring to a simmer. Place 1/2 cup spicy miso paste on top of a very fine sieve. Lower the sieve half-way into the simmering soup and use a spoon to slowly dissolve the paste into the soup. Discard the 'solids' remaining in the sieve and let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning – add salt or a little soy sauce until it tastes like a spicy ramen broth.

EGGS and RAMEN: Cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions and drain well. While the ramen is cooking, bring a small pot of water to boil. When it reaches boiling, add 4 eggs and reduce heat to the lowest possible setting. Cook for exactly 7 minutes, remove eggs from water, run under cold water, and let them set for a few minutes. Peel shells off carefully. Yolks will be soft.

SERVING: Divide the noodles into four large bowl and ladle the soup on top (you may have a bit more than needed). For each serving, top with the tofu, 1 soft-boiled egg (cut in half), scallions, and sesame oil.