Summer ramence

When summer’s bounty comes at you faster than you can handle, the veggies start to pile up. We need recipes capable of incorporating the myriad produce; the kind of evergreen dish that isn’t rattled when you swap a tomato for a turnip. Recipes that work no matter what you add and improve with diversity.

When I was growing up, stir-fry was the veggie-disposal method of choice. These days, I prefer quality ramen – especially in summer, when the extra hydration is crucial. And if the broth is spicy, you’ll find yourself in a refreshing layer of sweat – typical of a hot summer ramence.

The last time I made ramen, I started with Hot and Spicy flavored Mama brand noodles, and added zucchini, garlic, snap peas, shelling peas, bacon, egg and basil. I could have added spinach, radish, kale, peppers, carrots, broccoli or chives. In fact, I am hard pressed to think of something that wouldn’t go well in ramen.

As with a stir-fry, the order in which you add the vegetables is crucial. Fragile herbs should go last, while durable ingredients like zucchini need more time. The same rule applies to proteins. Meat or tofu can go in sooner; egg goes later.

Getting the egg right is one of the trickiest parts of ramen. The egg should be cooked to where the white is solid, but the yolk runs. To do this, I lay the egg gently atop a raft of noodles, where it steams, until the noodles absorb enough water that they sink, along with the egg, into the savory drink, where it lightly poaches before I turn off the heat.

The crux of this centers around keeping that frisky egg on top of the noodles, because it wants desperately to slide off and take a swim. Once the egg falls into the broth, it hides under the noodles, where it’s hard to monitor and will probably overcook.

As the egg steams, add the herbs and other delicate vegetables like radish slices. And assemble your condiments like jalapeño slices (or some other heat), hoisin sauce, mayo or whatever else might customize it.

Zucchini Ramen

2 slices bacon

1 medium zucchini, cut into rounds

2 cloves garlic

1 packet instant ramen (The instant ramen should be high quality, such as Mama, Nonghsim or Sapporo Ichiban. I use a spicy flavor.)

1 egg

Handful of snap peas, chopped coarsely

Peas from a handful of shelling peas

Handful of basil

Fry the bacon. When browned, add zucchini, and fry until brown on at least one side. Add water, noodles and flavoring. Turn heat to high, and bring to simmer. Flip noodles so the soft side faces up.

Crack the egg into a bowl. This allows you to add the egg with a quick pour and eliminates the possibility of a broken yolk. Dump it with a flick of the wrist.

As the egg lands on the noodles, go to any length necessary, using tongs or spatula to keep it on top of the noodles. As the egg cooks, add the peas.

Gentyly transfer to a bowl. Garnish with basil, and serve.