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Monday, October 12, 2009
Kitchen Confession: I like ramen noodles
I eat — and quite like — ramen noodles.
Ramen noodles straight from the bag are pretty blah, but with just a few tweaks, the fried-then-dried noodles can be the base of a downright delicious meal.
Broccoli and sesame oil are my go-to add-ons, but after an impromptu survey on the Interwebs this weekend, it seems you all have some mighty sophisticated ways of preparing one of the cheapest foods in the grocery store (see below).
This week, I’ll need your inspiration. For a story next week, Ian and I are embarking on a seven-day ramen noodle challenge. Can we eat ramen once a day for the next week and not get sick of it?
Unlikely, but we’re sure going to try.
We started yesterday with my standard broccoli-sesame oil ramen, and tonight, we’re making a stir fry.
Many of you said you add vegetables (spinach, asparagus, peas, peppers, green onions, mushrooms, greens, carrots, celery) and an egg or meat (chicken, shrimp or beef, depending on the flavor of the noodles you start with). Soy sauce, sesame oil, sweet chili sauce, lime and even a handful of cilantro also help kick up your ramen.
Christy Cramer has this suggestion for adding an egg to create something similar to egg-drop soup: Add beaten egg while water is boiling, stir with chopsticks so it cooks in “ribbons.”
Ricardo Guerrero ditches the MSG- and sodium-filled seasoning packet and uses spices like garlic powder and paprika instead.
Jenn, aka @treelight, is among the ramen lovers who adds cheese to the dish. (I might have to actually try this to understand its appeal.) Kim chee, the pickled condiment/relish from Korea, with a fried egg are Jenny Wang’s favorite add-ins.
Ramen fanatics have created one of the most interesting online food communities, which find crazy things like these ramen lapel pins or ramen T-shirts.
Ramen blogs abound, which surely will guide us on this week’s ramen binge, but I’m still looking for your suggestions. Has anyone dared try to make a ramen dessert, like this coconut ramen pudding? Do any restaurants in Austin serve authentic ramen? Which grocery store has the best ramen selection? (I was disappointed that my regular H-E-B only had two brands of ramen blocks.) What are your favorite ways to prepare it?
Ramen lapel photo from ramenramenramen.net. Other photos by Addie Broyles.
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