Asakusa Home Cooking Class: Make Vegan Ramen & Gyoza

Japan has no shortage of appetizing ramen and gyoza, but classic, traditional versions are off-limits to those on vegetarian, vegan or plant-based diets. This doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t enjoy a bowl of delicious vegan ramen — or even better, learn an original recipe to make it yourself, paired with a delightful side dish of warm, golden gyoza! Only a few minutes on foot from Asakusa Station, you’ll meet your host at a kitchen studio. First, she’ll go over the flow of the class before you get started making the dashi (soup stock) from scratch. The broth is essential to ramen, infusing the noodles and toppings with ramen’s characteristic umami. Dashi stock often contains seafood, but this homemade dashi will feature alternative ingredients that bring out deep flavors, like kelp, shiitake mushrooms and miso paste. Once the broth and noodles are in place, you’ll finish by topping your bowl with colorful vegetables. Next, you’ll learn to make vegan gyoza following your host’s original recipe. You’ll fill each gyoza wrapper with an assortment of healthy vegetables and cook them in a frying pan until golden brown and aromatic. Last but certainly not least, your host will teach you their recipe for a great gyoza dipping sauce — a fundamental part of what makes these dumplings so delicious. Enjoy your meal over conversation with your host in a welcoming and relaxed environment. Passionate about wellness, your host wants this class to go beyond simply sharing her original recipes for vegan cooking but also an opportunity to exchange insights on culinary traditions and healthy living habits so you can deepen your understanding of Japanese culture without compromising on your dietary needs.