From the Publisher

Tamagoyaki (Japanese Omelet)

Level 2 | Makes enough for 4 ramen portions | Prep time: 10 minutes

You will need a Japanese tamagoyaki frying pan (it’s rectangular) to get a visually appealing omelet. If you don’t have one, a regular frying pan will work, but you won’t end up with the uniform rectangular shape that distinguishes this omelet.

1 In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs with the green onion, shoyu, sugar, and salt until foamy.

2 Over medium-high heat, warm 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a frying pan. Drip a tiny bit of egg in the pan—if it sizzles on contact, the pan is sufficiently hot. Add about a quarter of the egg mixture to the pan and tilt the pan so that the egg mixture covers the bottom in a thin, even layer. The egg will start cooking quickly so you’ll need to move fast.

3 Using chopsticks, gently roll the egg mixture tightly toward you from the part of the pan farthest from the handle.

4 Quickly add a little more cooking spray to the exposed part of the pan.

5 Pour another quarter of the egg mixture into the pan, lifting up the cooked portion to get some egg mixture underneath it to cook.

6 Roll the egg mixture away from you this time as it combines and attaches to the cooked egg layer. Nudge it to the back to the front of the pan, where you started before.

7 Repeat two more times until you’ve used all of the egg-the omelet will obviously increase in size with each layer.

8 Roll the omelet out of the pan and you should have a rectangular-shaped block with your layers of egg. Let cool and slice vertically before serving.

3 eggs
1 green onion, chopped
1 tsp shoyu (soy sauce)
1 tsp sugar
1⁄4 tsp salt
Nonstick cooking spray

Tonkatsu Tonkotsu Ramen

This porky ramen brings together two basic elements of the Japanese kitchen: tonkatsu, the breaded and fried cutlets that are so popular as a lunch dish and often included in bento boxes; and tonkotsu, the creamy white stock made from long-cooked pork bones, one of the classic bases for ramen.

Malaysian Curry Laksa Ramen

This recipe was created by my friend Emily Lai. This is a staple of Malaysian cuisine and stems from the basic ingredients of fresh roots and coconut milk. It shouldn’t be too difficult to find dried shrimp, just look for fresh ones that are bright pink, coral-colored, and whole, as opposed to brown and falling apart.

Furikake Salmon Ramen

This recipe is great because if you don’t have the ramen soup base or fresh ramen noodles ready, you can eat the salmon on its own with some rice and a vegetable. I happen to love the salmon on ramen because the furikake condiment adds an additional crunchy texture and flavor.

Chilled Cucumber Tsukemen

Tsukemen refers to a dish of noodles that are served separately and dipped in a flavorful soup that coats the noodles and seasons every bite. It’s not usually chilled, so this is my own version. It’s light and refreshing and perfect for brunch or lunch. I love its vibrant color and gentle hint of mint.