Vegan Peanut Butter Ramen

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 50 min
Servings: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 banana shallots, peeled and chopped to get 100g
• 2 lemongrass stalks, bottom two-thirds sliced, the rest discarded
• 10 garlic cloves (30g), peeled and roughly chopped
• 8cm x 8cm piece fresh ginger (60g), peeled and roughly chopped
• 2½ tbsp gochujang paste
• 1¾ tsp salt, plus ½ tsp extra for the tempeh
• Rapeseed oil
• 3 tsp light brown soft sugar
• 4 tbsp (65g) smooth peanut butter
• 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
• 2 limes, zested and quartered
• 250g ramen noodles
• 200g tempeh, chopped into a mince with a knife
• 250g pak choi, shredded lengthways
• 40g fresh coriander, chopped

Cooking Directions:

• Put all the curry paste ingredients and two tablespoons each of rapeseed oil and water in a small blender and blitz to a smooth paste.
• Next, make the ramen broth. Put three tablespoons of rapeseed oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat and, once hot, add the spice paste and fry, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes.
• Stir in two teaspoons of the sugar and cook for a further two minutes. Transfer a tablespoon and a half of the mix to a bowl and put to one side.
• Stir the peanut butter into the pan, then add the coconut milk, lime zest and a litre of water. Bring up to a simmer, then cook on a low heat for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the noodles and tempeh. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain in a colander, rinse under cold water and drain again. 
• Add a little oil to the colander, toss to coat the noodles so they don’t stick, then set aside.
• To cook the tempeh, put two tablespoons of rapeseed oil in a nonstick frying pan on a medium heat and, when hot, add the tempeh mince and fry, stirring often, for five minutes, until crisp and browning. 
• Add the reserved curry paste mix, the remaining teaspoon of sugar and the extra half-teaspoon of salt, fry, stirring, for another three or four minutes, then take off the heat.
• To serve, divide the ramen broth between four bowls, then divide the noodles between the bowls. 
• Top with the shredded pak choy, crumbled tempeh and coriander, squeeze the juice of a quarter of a lime over each portion and serve with another lime wedge on the side of each bowl.