The Best Vegetarian Ramen Recipe - Lemon Stripes

Ingredients

• - 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• - ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• - 1 Tbsp. black or white sesame seeds
• - 1 Tbsp. gochugaru or 1½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (I use crushed red pepper)
• - Salt
• - 4 scallions
• - 1 2″ piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
• - 2 tbsp tomato paste
• - 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
• - 1 4×3″ piece dried kombu- this is key, I buy it at Whole Foods.
• - 3 Ttbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• - 1 tbsp soy sauce
• - 4 baby bok choy, quartered lengthwise
• - 4 5-oz. packages fresh ramen noodles- I use dry noodles bc I can never find fresh