Instant ramen has a notorious reputation as the cheap go-to meal of dorm-ridden students everywhere. But with actual ramen popping into the mainstream circuit (it’s been around in Asia for much longer), is there any way to make that hunk of swirly noodles taste better? You betcha! I’ve been making this ramen recipe since I was allowed to use the stovetop. It’s a quick and easy meal, perfect for lunches or late-night studying.
A Brief History of Ramen
As with most cultural dishes, it’s important to understand where the food came from in order to better appreciate it. In Japan, ramen is considered a delicacy. It’s a noodle soup dish made with a meat (sometimes fish!) based broth. There are many regional variances, and it became popular in Japan in the 1950s. In the USA, when we think of ramen, we usually think of instant noodles, but in proper terms, some instant noodles are ramen, but not all ramen is instant noodles. Nowadays, hipsters and foodies alike are shedding more spotlight on this traditional Japanese dish. While that’s great, it’s important to remember that ramen is Japanese and not a new-fangled hipster food item.
Ingredients
Required:
- Instant ramen (any type will do for our purposes)
- Chicken, beef or vegetable broth (i.e. anything besides water)
- Vegetables (leafy greens preferred, but frozen broccoli will do)
- Egg
- Soy sauce
- Garlic Powder
Optional (but definitely adds pizzazz!):
- Sriracha sauce
- Sesame oil
- Shrimp, tofu or another sort of protein
Directions
1. Fill up a saucepan with two cups of broth. You can use a little more if you want a soupier noodle or a little less if you want a dryer noodle. You can also dilute the broth with water if you don’t have enough.
2. If you’re using one of the regular “flavored” ramen, throw out that flavor packet. The broth will get you there.
3. Wait for the water to boil. NOTE: If you’re using frozen vegetables, put some in now so that they can thaw; If you’re using tofu or pre-cooked shrimp, put them in now to soak up the broth.
4. When the water boils, put the ramen inside.
5. Dump in any leafy greens if you have some.
6. For the egg: You have two options here!
- Crack the egg into a bowl while waiting for the water to boil, and whisk it. After placing the ramen and greens into the pot, pour the egg, and mix it all around.
- Crack the egg directly into the pot after the ramen and greens. Let it cook without mixing it much. This gives a poached-egg feel.
7. Let the ramen cook for 3-5 minutes. Towards the end, pour in some garlic powder and soy sauce — there’s no set amount! Add to the taste. You can always add more later.
8. Remove ramen from stovetop. If adding sriracha or sesame oil (or both!), add some now and stir. A dollop of sesame oil is enough; Sriracha depends on your own spiciness capacity.
9. Volia! There’s your level-uped instant ramen!
Interested in more?
If there’s a local Asian supermarket in your area, check out some of the flavored instant noodles. My personal favorite is the Shin Ramyun Gourmet Spicy brand. Note: On these, you should definitely pour in the powder packet.
All photos belong to the author.