Miso Ramen Tare
“Tare” (tah-ray) is a concentrated flavor bomb that seasons the broth in ramen. While you can just add miso directly to the broth, I really enjoy the texture and color this tare lends to the soup, not to mention the flavor!
I prefer to use my 1+ year aged miso for this tare, for the simple reason that I generally don’t do miso ferments shorter than that! But any “color” miso, from white to red, will work just fine, just use the one you like!
The recipe features a Chinese spicy bean paste called doubanjian. If you haven’t heard of it, go find some at your local Asian market. I like the Pixian brand’s flavor, though it can be a bit chunky (and thus hard to dose out at 1/2 tsp increments) . Of course, you can always make your own, which I plan on doing sometime soon. Or skip it entirely, you decide!
My recipe is based on one from RecipeTin Japan, which has more information about tares in general and a full recipe for the ramen soup itself. This is just my go-to tare, the rest of the soup can vary so much it doesn’t make much sense to write it down—however, I have some suggestions in the recipe notes for broth and toppings. The amounts below can make about 4 bowls of soup.
1 Tbsp sake
1 Tbsp mirin
1/2 Tbsp shoyu
4 Tbsp miso
1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 clove garlic, grated
1/2 tsp ginger, grated
1/2 tsp doubanjian
- Mix together all of the ingredients except for the sake and mirin.
- Put sake and mirin into a small pot over medium-low heat. Bring it just to a simmer to reduce the raw alcohol taste.
- Add the miso mixture. Whisk until hot and thickened slightly. Remove from the pot and set aside.
You can keep the tare in the fridge for at least a week, potentially longer if sealed well under some plastic wrap. But of course it is best when freshly made!
Place about 2 Tbsp of the tare at the bottom of a bowl, then ladle in the hot broth, around 2-3 cups. Stir well to combine, and the broth should take on a smooth, creamy look. Add fresh cooked noodles and your favorite ramen toppings.