This isn’t tonkotsu at all, as tonkotsu is made creamy from pork bones, and this is a pant based recipe. I love traditional tonkotsu ramen, but had this vegan alternative made for me by my sister’s partner and it was delicious. I made a few adjustments to it as I tried and tasted (of course I did), and this has been the final result. It’s quick & delicious, and although there are several parts to it, it’s super simple and not as faffy as it seems.

Method

Start with the tofu & aubergine. Dice the aubergine & tofu in to similar sized cubes and place in a bowl with the soy sauce, stir to coat. Add the sesame oil to a frying pan over a medium heat and add the tofu & aubergine. Cook until crispy, with the mushrooms if using, then set aside. 

For the soup, in a deep pan, heat the sesame oil and chop the white part of the spring onion. Add the onion, with the ginger & garlic to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.

Lower the heat and add the tahini, peanut butter, soy sauce and chill sauce if using. Stir to bring everything together. Add the oat/plant milk & stock, stir and you should start to get a creamy broth. Leave to gently simmer while you cook the noodles in a separate pan. Follow the noodle pack instruction, but they usually take a few minutes in boiling water. (if adding an egg, you can cook this in the same water as your noodles!).

Set out 2 ramen bowls and add noodles to the base. Add the tofu. mushrooms & aubergine (you can re heat these in the pan if they’ve gone cold, the heat of the soup will also heat them slightly).

If adding an egg, place this in the bowl too.

Check the seasoning of your soup, then ladle the creamy soup over the noodles and veg until everything is sitting in a pool of soup.

Chop the green part of the onion and sprinkle over, with the sesame seeds.

Enjoy.