Instant ramen additions

[I_call_the_duck]

I like the Doll brand and another brand which I can't remember its name.

I usually have ramen for breakfast, but since I'm not that coherent that early in the morning to be creative, though sometimes I drain the broth and mix in a bit of brown bean sauce and curry powder. (It's the base for the sauce I use when I make long beans.) Or just a bit of oyster sauce and sesame oil, also sans broth.

Years ago, my brother tried to make hot dog chow mein using ramen noodles, but it turned out to be a disgusting mess.

[WHS]

Watercress and bean sprouts!

[cathrynapple]

frozen peas while boiling, then shredded cheddar cheese, a little butter, and salt.

[pintchow]

A topic close to my heart.

I start with low-sodium chicken stock, throw a couple of dried scallops or shrimp, shallots, and let it simmer for 30mins. A healthy pinch of dried salted black beans, or a teaspoon of chilli garlic black bean sauce for kick.

I chuck most of the noodles in lieu of more 'extras', like whatever veggies in season - carrots for colour, broccoli, snow peas, Chinese broccoli (kailan), daikon, Napa cabbage..anything goes. For protein, tofu, shrimp or fish cakes. Or I keep salmon trims and throw that in (waste not, want not!).

I julienne or cut in chunks, depending on my moods.

Yes, an egg works well at the end..doesn't it?

Oh, and add slivers of ginger, a dab of sesame seed oil, and cilantro to finish.

It sounds a lot, but in 10mins flat (if you're not doing the deluxe version using dried scallops..) I have a veerrry filling, but healthy concoction.

In fact, I just had a version with soup made from miso paste.

Oh, and serve with sweet chilli sauce on the side.

Bon Appetite, fellow slurpers!

[handmc]

gochujang or LKK chili black bean paste, sesame oil, egg, soy sauce

[PPPans]

Upon cooking, add a generous amount of fried garlic, chopped spring onion or leeks, crumbled chicharon, slivers of hard-boiled eggs and the juice of one calamansi.

That's what we have for a proper ramen and it should do for instant. Same with congee.

[ChryZ]

Since ramen = carbs, I usually like to add some protein (slices of boiled egg, cold cuts, canned tuna, tofu, etc) and fast cooking veggies (green onions, minced garlic, bean sprouts, spinach). For flavouring kimchi and its "juice", doenjang/gochujang paste, chili flakes, seasame oil.

I am not the biggest fan of instant ramen though ... nutrientless calories at its best

[stef_foodie]

Since ramen = carbs, I usually like to add some protein (slices of boiled egg, cold cuts, canned tuna, tofu, etc) and fast cooking veggies (green onions, minced garlic,  bean sprouts, spinach). For flavouring kimchi and its "juice", doenjang/gochujang paste, chili flakes, seasame oil.

I am not the biggest fan of instant ramen though ... nutrientless calories at its best

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We've had to stop buying ramen completely. My kids love it, and I always tried to make it a bit healthier by adding some chopped veggies -- cooked it in the broth before adding the noodles -- until the last time we got some, and my 4-yo's face swelled up after having a bowlful, and her eyes started itching like crazy. Yikes! Benadryl to the rescue. Never again. All my kids have some form of food allergy, but that was the worst reaction (and very quick too) I had ever seen on any of them.

[I_call_the_duck]

I was shopping online today, and stumbled upon this book:

101 Things to Do with Ramen Noodles.

Some of the recipes are...how should I put it nicely...interesting.

And, according to amazon, if I liked that book, I'd also like this one:

Everybody Loves Ramen: Recipes, Stories, Games, & Fun Facts About the Noodles You Love.

[scubadoo97]

From my local oriental market I get these ramen like noodle soups in a bowl. I like to add fish sauce and sometimes Thai chili paste or shriracha. A few drops of sesame oil is nice too.

[WolfChef]

Watched my youngest (sixteen) the other day. He has always been a ramen for a snack after school kind of guy, instead of ice cream or cookies like the other kids. Anyways, he shreds cheese into the bowl before he puts the hot ramen in. I asked him about it and he said he doesn't remember how it started but it is his favorite thing to do. Any cheese will work he said, but he really likes it when there is swiss in the house.

[ChryZ]

We've had to stop buying ramen completely.  My kids love it, and I always tried to make it a bit healthier by adding some chopped veggies -- cooked it in the broth before adding the noodles -- until the last time we got some, and my 4-yo's face swelled up after having a bowlful, and her eyes started itching like crazy.  Yikes!  Benadryl to the rescue.  Never again.  All my kids have some form of food allergy, but that was the worst reaction (and very quick too) I had ever seen on any of them.

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Yikes indeed! A chinese friend of mine got MSG intolerance. He showed similiar reactions. It was pretty tough for him growing up in HK and all.

[Hiroyuki]

I don't know if this is the right place to post, but I just wanted to tell you all that Momofuku Ando, the inventor of instant ramen, died of acute myocardial infarction on January 5, 2007 at the age of 96.

[emilyr]

I don't know if this is the right place to post, but I just wanted to tell you all that Momofuku Ando, the inventor of instant ramen, died of acute myocardial infarction on January 5, 2007 at the age of 96.

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This is just sad. I think that man may have been a genius!

When I was little, my mom would make a stir-fry, usually beef with broccoli, and then cook a few of the bricks of noodles in the juices of the meat and veggies. It's a good quick meal and I still make it when I need something fast, you can do it with anything in the fridge or pantry.

And now since I eat dinner mostly at work, I like the spicy ramen bowls. I can't remember the brands, but they come with freeze dried veggies, but most importantly a spicy sesame oil. It's really good.

In college, my friends would make ramen versions of other dishes. One was a restaurant-style fried rice ramen. Add some frozen peas and carrots just before the noodles, cook, strain, scramble an egg in the still hot pan and stir with bottled terriyaki or stir fry sauce. Or ramen alfredo, cook noodles without the spice pack, drain and add butter, cream and parmesan cheese with pepper and nutmeg. My roomie would make "Spaghetti" with ramen and ketchup, but that was too much, even for me.

Now I like mixing a little peanut butter with the hot noodles, adding scallions and cabbage, then mixing in some chili oil or sesame oil and red chilies. Then you kind of have to let it sit in the hot pan till everything is slightly softened and all gooey! Yum!

[Bueno]

I always make additions to my ramen! I didn't realize I had such large company. Some awesome ideas in this thread.

I always add: Sriracha, Ponzu, Fish sauce, lime juice, and sometimes grated ginger and chopped scallions. In fact, I'm gonna go make some right now!

[torakris]

Hiroyuki, thanks for posting the news.

I rarely make instant ramen but yesterday I made some for lunch for the kids and I, miso flavored ramen with sauteed bacon and leeks.

[SheenaGreena]

I add any combo of the following:

that pink japanese fish cake - I forget the name...

or any other fish cake

korean sliced ddeok

raw egg placed as a garnish after cooking the ramen or cooked egg swirled in

sliced kimchi + it's delicious juices

sliced green onion

spam or hotdogs (don't knock it until you try it)

sliced korean nori

sometimes I also throw in some barely cooked bok choy for that nice added crunch or any other leafy veggie that is available

Edited January 6, 2007 by SheenaGreena (log)

[Domestic Goddess]

Cooking ramen noodles means cleaning up the fridge and veggie tray for me. Add ons include:

1. Egg (boiled or sometimes swirled into the broth)

2. Napa cabbage or plain cabbage (thinly shredded)

3. Thinly sliced leeks

4. Julienned carrots

5. Thinly sliced leftover meat (pork, chicken or beef)

6. Kameboko

7. beansprouts

8. sliced onions or shallots

9. baby corn

10. mushrooms

I could go one and on...

[lemniscate]

On a previous ramen thread, someone turned me on to Myoko (sp?) brand ramen. I found the Tom Yum version and duck version. The Tom Yum is great, there are 3 little packets, one with dried spices and shrimp(!) and fishcake(!), one soup base, and one spicy oil. The noodles are the mung bean glass noodles. I honestly couldn't figure out what to add above the included goodies. Man, that was good good good! I prefer the glass noodles over the yellow noodles now, they are so delicate. I think its a Thai brand. I haven't tried the duck version yet.

Edited January 6, 2007 by lemniscate (log)

[jackal10]

Inventor of instant noodles dies

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6237013.stm

The inventor of instant noodles, Momofuku Ando, has died in Japan, aged 96, of a heart attack.

Mr Ando was born in Taiwan in 1910 and moved to Japan in 1933, founding Nissin Food Products Co after World War II to provide cheap food for the masses.

Nissin has led the global instant noodle industry since then, selling 85.7 billion servings every year, according to Agence France Presse.

[Shamanjoe]

Lately I've been eating the Filipino version Instant Pancit Canton, which to me is exactly the same noodles as instant ramen, just different flavouring packets. But they are very good, I bought a bunch of spicy/sweet ones when I went and I like to add some scallions to them.

[baroness]

I prefer the Pancit Canton as well, particularly LuckyMe brand chili-mansi. For those unfamiliar with pancit, they are not broth-based like ramen; they are meant to be drained and tossed with the dry and liquid flavoring packets included. As well as scallions, peas and shrimp or chicken are nice additions.

[melissafitz]

my favorite addition to ramen is -- without a doubt -- frozen, pre-made gyoza. sometimes my own and sometimes (more often than not) trader joes.