The Art of Ramen: Basic Chicken Stock For Ramen
Ingredients
- 1 chicken carcass or 7 ounces chicken wings cleaned**
- 1 Japanese leek negi, cut in half
- 1 medium-sized onion peeled and halved
- 1 medium-sized carrot peeled and halved
- 1 large knob ginger peeled and halved
- 3 to 4 egg shells***
- 7-1/2 cups water
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a high simmer, and cook, covered, for two to three hours, skimming of the scum occasionally. Strain the stock using a cheesecloth-lined colander; pressing down on the remaining ingredients with the back of a large wooden spoon to release all the flavor. If not used immediately, cool and freeze the stock until needed.
Notes
*This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to yield enough stock for 10 to 15 servings. The stock can be frozen for later use. One serving is 1-1/4 cups.
**Cracked pork bones (for a richer stock) and even shelled short-necked clams, quickly sautéed in sesame oil (for a lighter stock) can replace or be mixed with the chicken to create a different tasting stock.
***The egg shells help to kill the smell of the carcass and/or bones, and to absorb some of the scum.