Ramen is a fast and convenient food, perfect for busy people or students who have no time other than to study. Despite its affordable price, ramen is a food that has very few nutrients. Some people find ramen to have a bland taste, while others think it has a mushy texture. Luckily, there are a few tricks you can do to make sure the noodles you cook are perfect. You can also add various spices and other toppings, in addition to the spices that are already available in the ramen packaging. With a little creativity, you can create tastier and more nutritious ramen in no time!
Ingredients
- 2½ squeezed cups (590 milliliters) of water
- 1 pack of ramen, including soup base
- Sprinkles/complements, such as eggs, bacon, or scallions (optional)
Step
Method 1 of 2: Cooking Ramen Noodles
Step 1. Bring the water to a boil
Pour 2½ cups squeezed (590 milliliters) of water into a saucepan. Place the pot on the stove and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
Step 2. Add the broth seasoning
Tear off the spice pack in the ramen package. Pour the contents into boiling water and mix well.
Step 3. Bring the broth to a boil for 1 minute
This is to make sure the spice powder is completely dissolved and the water is hot enough for the next step.
Step 4. Add the noodles to the broth
Gently press with chopsticks or a wooden spoon until all parts of the noodles are submerged in water. You may have to hold it in for a while. Don't break the noodles in half or stir them because the noodles will separate on their own.
You can also cook the noodles in a separate pan
Step 5. Cook the noodles for about 2 minutes
Once the noodles have separated from each other, remove them from the broth using chopsticks or food tongs. You can also pour the broth directly into the bowl using a strainer.
Step 6. Fan the noodles
Fanning the noodles aims to stop the cooking process and prevent the noodles from becoming limp and mushy. You can use a handheld fan, mini electric fan, or even a stiff sheet of paper or a folder.
Another way is to rinse the noodles with cold water
Step 7. Put the noodles back into the broth
At this point, you can already add some delicious toppings like eggs, meat, or vegetables.
Some toppings are best added at the last minute, after you pour the ramen into the bowl to serve
Step 8. Serve the ramen
Pour the ramen into a large, deep-surfaced bowl. If you are adding poached eggs or fried eggs to a saucepan, using a soup spoon, remove them and place them on top of the ramen that has been poured into the bowl. At this stage, you can also add other toppings, such as cooked meat.
Method 2 of 2: Improve Your Creation
Step 1. For extra flavor, you can add sauces and seasonings
If the sauce or additional seasoning you are using tastes very salty, you only need to use a little seasoning from the package. This way, your ramen won't be too salty. Below are some delicious options to try:
- Fish sauce
- Japanese curry powder
- ponzu sauce
- Miso paste
- Thai curry paste
Step 2. For added flavor, you can use a variety of spices, oils, and other seasonings
This is a great choice if you don't like fish sauce and curry powder or paste. Below are some ideas to inspire you:
- Orange juice made from lemon or lime juice. Add the orange juice when the ramen will be served.
- Various types of oil, such as animal fat, chili oil, or sesame oil.
- Spices, such as chili powder, coriander seeds, or white pepper. However, you should remove the seeds before serving.
Step 3. Add vegetables for healthy ramen
You can add tender, quick-cooking vegetables before serving the ramen. You can also add vegetables that are tougher or that take time to cook with the noodles as you simmer them. Here are some delicious options:
- For fast-cooking vegetables, you can try baby spinach, sprouts, scallions, or watercress.
- For vegetables that take time to cook, try broccoli, peas, peas, or grated carrots.
- No fresh vegetables? Try frozen vegetables! However, make sure to first defrost it under hot, running water for at least 30 seconds.
Step 4. Add eggs to the ramen for extra protein
Ramen contains sodium, starch and very unhealthy fats. You can make a bowl of ramen into a healthy dish by adding a protein-packed egg. Usually people use hard-boiled, half-boiled or fully-boiled eggs, which are halved, but you can use other egg preparations. Here are some options to try:
- Put the eggs in cold water, boil until fully cooked. Peel the skin, cut into two halves, then place on top of the ramen when serving.
- Put the eggs into the boiling water to get half-boiled eggs. Cook for 3-7 minutes, then peel off the skin, cut into halves and add to your ramen right before serving.
- Try the scrambled eggs. After the noodles and gravy are cooked, stir. Pour the beaten eggs into the saucepan while continuing to stir.
- Dip the egg just above the noodles. Let it boil for 30 seconds. Turn off the stove, cover the pot, and wait another 30 seconds.
- Add scrambled eggs on top of the noodles. You have to fry the eggs and cook the ramen separately. Put the fried egg on top of the ramen when it is about to be served.
Step 5. Add more protein to your bowl of ramen with meat
Generally, people use thinly sliced meat, but you can also use chicken breast, steak, or pork tenderloin. Cook the meat in the broth separate from the noodles. Remove the meat from the broth, add the noodles, then place the meat on top.
- Use meat sparingly. Too much meat will distract from the taste of the ramen and the broth itself.
- Thin slices of pork belly or shoulder are the most popular and authentic choices.
Step 6. Try other authentic sprinkles
To get the most of these toppings, you'll need to go to a supermarket that specializes in products from Asia. You may also be able to find some of these products in the Asian food section of your local supermarket. Here are some delicious options you can try:
- Fish meatball
- Slices of daikon (white radish), lotus root, or shitake mushrooms
- Grated nori (seaweed)
- Menma (fermented bamboo shoots)
Step 7. Done
Tips
- Hold all the ingredients close to the bowl before dipping them in. This is to avoid splashes.
- To make a bowl of seafood ramen, you can add squid, shrimp, crab, and/or salmon.
- You can also add whatever you think tastes good when served with the ramen. Be creative, but make sure you have to cook whatever it is to perfection.
- How much sprinkles and seasonings to use is all up to you. However, keep in mind that the main focus of the dish is still the noodles and the broth.
- You don't like noodle soup? Cook the noodles as usual, then stir-fry with your favorite stir fry sauce and vegetables.
- What if you don't have a stove? Does not matter! You can cook noodles in a coffee maker or even in the microwave!
- Try adding lemongrass chunks. Lemongrass is a spice that is very suitable to be combined with seafood.
- Add seasonings to the broth, such as salt and ground garlic, miso, or soy sauce.
- Eat ramen as soon as it is served. Don't leave your ramen for too long because it will taste bad. If you feel like you won't be able to finish a full bowl, try eating only half of it.
