What’s better than a flavorful, rich bowl of broth to warm the heart and soul, the umami greatness of Asian cuisine, BOTH ramen noodles AND crispy wontons, as well as a softly simmered egg? The answer: NOTHING, really.

Enjoy this super scrumptious and easy recipe of squiggly noodles and delicate, chewy pockets of goodness for a single-serve Ramen Wonton Bowl.

Ramen is Chinese in origin. The name was originally used for two other dishes, namely Chūka soba and Shina soba. Both translate to ‘Chinese noodle’, but with different connotations. Japan only co-opted the term in the late 19th century, when the country was going through an industrial revolution. Since workers (also known as “salarymen” back then) barely had the time to prepare their own meals before leaving for work, they instead ate in ramen restaurants.

Eventually, younger and younger customers have been led to associate ramen more with Japan than its imported origins. Throughout the years, Japan has invented several types of ramen and the only significant difference is their broths—varying from shio (salt), to tonkotsu (pork broth). The noodles, however, are always made out of kansui—a local type of alkaline water and the secret to their firm texture and yellow colouring.

Wontons date back as far as the Qing Dynasty in 1644, during which wonton soup was enjoyed by the rich families of nobles and merchants. That was the case until the end of World War II, which is when it became more and more popular.

Ramen Wonton Bowl

Ramen:
2 tsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 Tbs. fresh garlic, minced
3 Tbs. soy sauce (or tamari)
2 Tbs. mirin
1 Tbs. brown sugar
2 cups vegetable stock
1-2 large eggs
1/2 cup green scallions, thinly sliced (missing from photos 😔)
1 (3oz) pkg ramen noodles
dried chili flakes and sesame seeds, for garnish

6 fresh (or frozen and fried) Wontons*

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add the soy sauce and mirin, and brown sugar. Stir to combine. Cook for another minute.

Add the stock, cover, and bring to a boil. Remove the lid, Add the ramen noodles, and simmer for 5-8 minutes.

Transfer to a serving bowl and immediately add the egg(s) and scallions to the simmering broth. Allow to sit and cook for 5-8 minutes.

Sprinkle with chili flakes and sesame seeds and continue to “rest” and cook the egg for 1-2 more minutes.

Add the piping hot wontons and slurp and savor.

*Wontons:
1/3 lb. ground pork (sub finely chopped mushrooms for a vegetarian soup)
2 tsp. soy sauce (or tamari)
2 tsp. thinly sliced chives
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 pkg. square wonton wrappers
1/4 c. water

2 Tbs. oil (for frying)

In a large bowl, mix pork (mushrooms), soy sauce, chives, vinegar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and oil until fully incorporated. 

Using fingers, wet the edges of wonton wrappers with water. Place half a Tbs. of pork/mushroom filling in the center of the wonton wrapper. Fold wonton in half diagonally to create a triangle, and seal the edges. Fold the two identical corners in on each other and press again to seal. Repeat until all wonton wrappers are filled.

Heat the oil in a large skillet until simmering. Gently place 5-6 wontons inside (not to crowd) and fry until crispy on one side. Using tongs, flip and fry until crispy on the opposing side. Remove from pot and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Repeat with the remaining wontons.

Once crispy and while still hot, add as many as you like to the hot pot (bowl) of Ramen Wonton Soup. Garnish, as desired.

Reserve remaining wontons for a side dish, appetizer, or just add them all to the soup!