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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.
Permalink | Comments (12) | Post your comment Categories: 15 Minutes or Less, Cooking, Kitchen Confession
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By Rachel @ boots in the oven
October 12, 2009 12:30 PM | Link to this
Wow - that’s quite a goal you’ve set yourself! I was never that big into ramen, but I did have it recommended to me with furikake and sriracha - I bet those two things plus an egg would be killer. Look forward to seeing what you come up with!
By Apron Adventures
October 12, 2009 12:33 PM | Link to this
I’ve managed to never consume Ramen in my life. However, some of your ideas above look pretty darn tasty, I may just have to experiment!
By Jaye @ Food Porn
October 12, 2009 1:12 PM | Link to this
I used to love plain ol’ Top Ramen Oriental Flavor. Now I’ve grown up and moved on to the pricey ramen from Asahi Imports on Burnett. The ones I buy are made by Myojo Chuckazanmai and I seem to buy the soy sauce flavor the most. They come with a dry packet of seasoning and a wet, which I think is just sesame oil and maybe some soy sauce.
By nanette @rocknrealty
October 12, 2009 4:35 PM | Link to this
when i was in college we would make Top Ramen oriental flavor in our doorm room in those little plug in hot pots, throw out most of the water, add the seasoning packet at the end and a ton of lemmon pepper, it was all about the lemon pepper. now i buy vegan versions from wholefoods or fresh plus and add whatever veggies, (fave asparagus or peas) and chile flakes along with the seasoning packet and the little hot oil packet if it comes with one i can’t wait to hear your daily versions! - nanette @rocknrealty
By Nicole
October 13, 2009 4:52 PM | Link to this
Ever try no mayo coleslaw using Ramen? You might try it! Take the uncooked Ramen, break it up, sprinkle into coleslaw mixture (no mayo), add toasted almonds, plain sunflower seeds, and prepare a dressing out of red wine vinaigrette, some sugar, and voila! Pour over and feed the Sunday crowd! This greatly compliments chicken and is a springy dish, very yummy!
By optimista
October 13, 2009 10:33 PM | Link to this
Funny; my Yelp “confession” on my profile has always been “I like ramen noodles.” I fell in love with ramen in college and it’s comfort food for me. The texture of the noodles just can’t be found anywhere else!
By Sue
October 14, 2009 10:00 AM | Link to this
Banzai on N. Lamar serves super tasty ramen with either shrimp or tofu, which I am addicted to. According to a friend of mine who lived in Japan, it is authentic. In Japan they have ramen bars that stay open until the wee hours of the morning. I wish we had that here!
By Christyluv
October 15, 2009 9:11 AM | Link to this
May seem obvious but the MT market on North Lamar has a plethora of ramen choices. The shrimp tom yum is delish!
By Emily
October 18, 2009 11:09 AM | Link to this
I love ramen noodles simply because they are so diverse and cost-effective. Real Simple actually has a ton of ramen noodle recipes but one of my favorites is adding, lemongrass Sriracha, lime juice, cilantro, peanuts and shredded rotisserie chicken for a Thai style ramen. Good luck Addie!
By Keizo
October 18, 2009 1:11 PM | Link to this
Not to brag but I’ve eaten “real” ramen everyday for 31 days straight and not gotten sick of it. Better yet, I’ve eaten 55 bowls in 28 days and still love it!
By edjusted
October 25, 2009 11:14 PM | Link to this
Good luck on your challenge and thanks for the link! Can’t wait to hear how you did. I’m not trying to promote myself on purpose, but if you like eggs with your ramen, please try the “hanjuku egg” recipe on my ramen blog and let me know what you think!
By Warren
November 9, 2009 6:32 AM | Link to this
Between Maruchan and Nissin Top, I prefer the later as far as the noodles are concerned and I normally forgo the season packet and substitute with a less salty more flavorful broth.
If MT Supermarket isn’t inconvenient and you don’t mind spending up to a dollar for your ramen, there’s a wide selection. I have yet to try all of them, but so far I like the noodles by Binh Tay [Vietnam] and Unif Taiwan. Anything that doesn’t look too popular I would generally avoid since there’s a higher chance of it going stale which is not good for fried noodles such as ramen. The Sapparo [Japan] I bought there was stale. Nong-Shim [Korea] noodles themselves are as tasty as the US made varients, but if you like using the flavor pouches they’re pretty tasty. Those are the brands I can recall off the top of my head, there were several I tried that I can’t remember.
If you do go to MT, pick up some Asian greens as well, bok choys, yu choy, napa cabage, and watercress (generally cheaper than here), and wilt them in the broth.
My current favorite quick and simple ramen combo is rotisserie chicken (Costco, if you’re already a member at ~$5 it’s a no brainer and never dry), romaine lettuce, and noodles (chicken variety if you’re going to use the seasoning pack).