Inspired by the Mazemen at Tonchin in NYC
Time: 45 minutes
Feeds: 2-3 people
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- A dash of dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3-4 oz cashew butter
- 1 tsp sriracha, or an amount adjusted to your preferred spice level
The rest:
- 4 chicken thighs
- Kosher salt, to taste
- White pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1-2 tsp soy sauce
- Fresh ramen noodles, boiled according to package directions
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced on a bias
- 1/2 cup bean sprouts
- 1/4 cup crushed cashews, roasted and salted preferred
Directions: You’ll want to start with your chicken so it can cook while you’re prepping the rest of the ingredients. In a roasting dish or on a sheet pan, start with a little bit of olive oil across the bottom. Next add the chicken thighs and season with salt and white pepper to taste. In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock and soy sauce and then add to the baking dish, trying not to pour it over the chicken too much. Add the dish or sheet pan to the oven and start preheating to 400 degrees. The chicken should take about 30 minutes to cook. It’s finished cooking once it hits 165 degrees but I like to take my chicken thighs to at least 185 so they’re easily shreddable.
Next it’s time to make the sauce. Combine the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, mirin, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cashew butter, and sriracha in a bowl. Stir to combine and then transition to an immersion blender to get everything really well incorporated and emulsified. Set aside until ready to put the dish together.
Place a medium sized pot of water on the stove to boil. When the chicken is done cooking, removing the dish or sheet pan from the oven and set aside for a couple of minutes to cool slightly. Then shred the chicken and add it to a bowl. Toss the chicken with your desired amount of sauce. The chicken should be nicely saucy but not totally swimming in it. You can always add more sauce directly to your ramen. Once the water is boiling on the stove, add your fresh ramen noodles and boil according to package directions. Since they’re fresh, it shouldn’t take long at all so have your bowls ready to go to start assembling.
When the noodles are finished cooking, add them directly from the boiling water into your serving bowl. It’s okay if some water comes with them as it’ll help keep everything nicely saucy. Next, add the sauced chicken on top of the noodles along with some bean sprouts along the side. Now is a good opportunity to add some additional sauce if you think you’ll want it, otherwise, it can get mixed in later. Garnish with the crushed cashews and sliced green onion and serve. Each person should mix their Mazemen themselves and can adjust their amount of sauce according to preference.