Beef ramen

I’m a big fan of a noodle packet, but this is for when you want something a bit more special. Not completely authentic, but quick and simple to make. And very delicious – deep, rich and savoury. Endlessly adaptable, and always good. Change it up with grilled chicken, slow cooked meat, gyoza, tofu, salmon, vegetables. Feeds 2.

• 900ml beef stock (I like to use one of these and one of these – because who has time to make stock?)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp black vinegar
• 2 thick slices of ginger
• 1 garlic clove, left whole and squashed a bit with the flat of a knife
• 1 tsp mirin
• 400g rump steak
• Veg oil
• Salt
• 2 eggs
• 300g mange tout
• 200g noodles, whichever sort you like. I like wheat udon because they’ve got a lovely texture
• 2 spring onions
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp Szechuan chilli oil

1. Heat the beef stock in a large pan with the soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, garlic, ginger and the green ends of the spring onions. Bring to the boil then simmer for 5 mins. Taste it – it should be beefy, aromatic and delicious
2. Rub the steak with oil and sprinkle with salt
3. Heat a frying pan until very hot and cook medium-rare. For a 1 inch thick steak, give it 2 mins on each side and then rest. Slice thinly and add any juices into the soup
4. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and lower the eggs into it. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 6-7 mins, depending on egg size. Remove the eggs and run under cold water until cool. Peel and keep on one side until the soup is ready
5. Cook the mange tout for 1 min in boiling water
6. Finely slice the spring onions
7. In the bottom of each soup bowl, put 1 tsp of sesame oil and 1 tsp chilli oil
8. Fish the flavourers out of the broth and bring it to the boil
9. Add the noodles to the soup and cook them for as long as they need. Then it’s time to construct the soup!
10. Use tongs to divide the noodles between the 2 bowls
11. Pour over the stock then arrange the other ingredients on top – sliced steak, mange tout, spring onion. Finally, cut the egg in half lengthways and place on top

Ready, steady, slurp!