Spicy miso ramen with a poached egg

I am slowly but surely learning to love a runny egg yolk. It was never something I enjoyed on its own, but I've recently discovered that it is absolutely delicious when mixed into a big bowl of something warm. You don't have to put the egg on top of this ramen but if you've never tried it before you have no idea what you're missing. For this recipe I used a package of organic dried ramen noodles from the asian section of the grocery store. You could just as easily use a package of instant ramen and then just throw away the seasoning packet.

Ingredients:

2 stalks bok choy, chopped
3 baby carrots, julienned
5 slices cucumber, cut in strips
2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon (or more) sriracha
1 tablespoon instant miso paste*
1 cup veggie stock
1/2 cup water
1 serving ramen noodles
1 egg
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 green onion, chopped
chili oil

Directions:

In a medium sauce pot, heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil over medium heat. Add bok choy and a splash of water and cook until tender, about two minutes. Remove bok choy from pan, add carrot and cook until a little bit of the crunch has gone away, about another 1-2 mintues. Remove carrots and add cucumber, cook for 30 seconds or so, just to warm it and get it to taste like sesame oil. Remove cucumber from pan. Using the same pan you just cooked your veggies in, add stock, water, soy sauce, miso, sriracha, and the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil. Bring to a simmer then add ramen noodles. Cook noodles according to package directions (mine took 4 mintues). Remove noodles from pot when they are finished cooking and add them to the bowl you'll be serving it in. Top with piles of your cooked veggies. Leave the stock on the stove for now over low heat. In a separate small sauce pot, heat a few cups of water over medium-low heat. Add rice vinegar. Bring this to a very gentle simmer. Gently slide an egg into the pot of water and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from water with a slotted spoon. Place the egg on top of your noodles and veggies. Pour warm broth over the egg and noodles. Add green onions and season with a few drops of chili oil.

*Ok, so miso isn't really vegetarian. It is made with dried and fermented fish flakes. Honestly, I'm not that picky and it doesn't taste like fish to me and I really like it. If you don't want to use it or if you're a stricter vegetarian than I am then just use all stock. You could also use the "oriental" flavor packet of instant ramen instead of making your own broth. If you use the flavor packet then don't use soy sauce, miso, or stock.