Shoyu Ramen for Breakfast

Long-time readers of this blog know this: I’m the sort of person who will eat a bowl of ramen for breakfast.  I actually crave for the stuff in pretty much the same way other people yearn for a cholesterol-raising platter of tapa (fried smoked beef) and sinangag (garlic-infused fried rice) or a savory bowl of congee or even a full English.  There is just something so comforting about a bowl of noodles in broth that helps me face up to the challenges of the day.  (Actually, I also crave for Spam; but that’s a story for another day…)

So, I guess it was a lucky break when a recent supermarket jaunt put a pack of Nissin’s Shoyu Ramen in my larder.

Shoyu – soy sauce – is one of the four major broth bases used for cooking classic Japanese ramen.  The other three are shio (salt), miso (fermented soybean paste), and tonkotsu (pork bone – also known as “the rejuvenator” because of its high collagen content).  But I seriously prefer shoyu best as it is very flavorful and it isn’t so salty. 

However, making your ramen from scratch is a tedious process and going to an actual ramen shop at five-thirty in the morning isn’t exactly the most brilliant of ideas.  So, while it doesn’t exactly have the same oomph as a bowl of soup done by a professional cook, instant ramen isn’t so bad.  Indeed, all I need to do is toss in some diced leftover tonkatsu and poach an egg in the broth as it boils.  Top your bowl off with the shredded nori that comes in the packet and you’re all set. 

It’s a fine way to start your day.  😀