# What do you put in your Ramen Noodles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295 "2009-06-19T14:21:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/1 "2009-06-19T14:21:12Z")
Since I just started a thread on my noodle soup, I want to know how people prepare Ramen noodles. I’m eating some with some spinach and sprouts with some spicy garlic sauce, soy a little olive oil and pepper. I often put an egg in but we didn’t have any. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/2 "2009-06-19T14:40:09Z")
Sriracha and left over shrimp if I have it. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/3 "2009-06-19T14:50:00Z")
> [@Shark\_Sandwich](#): > > Sriracha and left over shrimp if I have it. Yeah, I am putting basically Srirarcha in it but the Vietnamese version. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/4 "2009-06-19T16:14:58Z")
Hot water, a flavor packet, and hot sauce. If I want a quick noodle dish, I generally just boil some spaghetti and doctor that up instead of ramen. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/5 "2009-06-19T16:19:26Z")
Leftover sliced pork roast or steak or chicken. Those little baby bok choy, halved lengthwise, are also great - they cook in under a minute because they’re so delicate. Canned sliced bamboo shoots. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/6 "2009-06-19T16:35:49Z")
One chiken seasoning packet and about an inch of velveeta cheese ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/7 "2009-06-19T16:41:02Z")
garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, egg, and a hot chinese spice who’s name escapes me… ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/8 "2009-06-19T16:46:14Z")
Cheese! **Enalzi** , I thought I was the only one! But an inch, I think is even more than I would go for. I bow to you! ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/9 "2009-06-19T17:04:15Z")
I guess it’s more like I put the ramen noodles in my miso soup. Which includes hot water, miso, and whatever subset of {garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, seaweed, tofu, leftover meat, carrots, onion, other veggies} that I have and feel like making the effort of putting in. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/10 "2009-06-19T17:12:06Z")
Ramen in Japan is a cultural obsession. They have TV shows that showcase some of the thousands of ramen shops that each have their own specialty. I usually use inspiration from some of the places that I’ve had unusual recipes. Typically, I add:[ul][_]fresh ginger[_]daikon (Japanese radish)[_]hakusai (Chinese cabbage)[_]moyashi (bean sprouts)[_]green onion[_]sliced pork or beef[_]garlic[/ul]I don’t eat eggs, but it’s common in Japan to have half a boiled egg added just before serving. Ginger, and if I use it, garlic, I add early in the cooking process to let some of the rawness cook out. Green onions I add last, usually after the heat has been turned off. Other ingredients I’ve tried with some success include:[ul][_]Ponzu sauce (soya sauce with yuzu fruit juice; I can get the Kikkoman brand ponzu in my local grocery stores), especially with sliced pork recipes[_]Miso and soya sauce[_]Katsuoboshi (a type of dried fish flakes)[_]Sesame oil[_]Chicken, although I’ve found that it has to be shredded quite finely or it just tastes like bad chicken soup[/ul]I usually start out with a package of Japanese or Korean instant noodles. The vast number of Chinese grocery stores in Toronto stock some better quality imported brands that usually only have English as stuck-on labels. Its surprising how much better they can be, although I have a weakness for the $0.25 packages as a quick ‘n’ dirty meal as well. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/11 "2009-06-19T17:17:02Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > Cheese! **Enalzi** , I thought I was the only one! But an inch, I think is even more than I would go for. I bow to you! Well, it’s about an inch for two blocks of ramen. It’s less than you think once it’s melted. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/12 "2009-06-19T17:23:24Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Leftover sliced pork roast or steak or chicken. > > Those little baby bok choy, halved lengthwise, are also great - they cook in under a minute because they’re so delicate. > > Canned sliced bamboo shoots. Oh yeah, I love Bok Choy in my Ramen. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/13 "2009-06-19T17:25:39Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Hot water, a flavor packet, and hot sauce. > > If I want a quick noodle dish, I generally just boil some spaghetti and doctor that up instead of ramen. If I am not making Ramen, this kind of thing is what I do. > **[Great noodle soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=521641)** > > I made a noodle soup the other day. It turned out really well. I fried up some beef chuck cubes in a pan with some olive oil and pepper. I poured it and all the fat in to the boiling pot of water. I added chicken bouillon. Tomatoes, Onions ... ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/14 "2009-06-19T17:33:50Z")
Raman noodles are pretty pleasant if cooked right. The broth however, taste like they maybe dipped a chicken in the vat for 5 seconds. Canned chicken noodle soup is the opposite, the broth being pretty good and the noodles being some sort of icky 6th state of matter. I often combine the 2 to get the best of both worlds. If I want something fancier, I use something other than chicken noodle soup. They sell these cans of “oriental vegtables”, usually in a blue can with pics of whats inside on it. There are several variations on the theme. We get our at a “vietanamese” store. These cans contain baby corn, bamboo shoots, some sort of grilled tofu, a couple different kind of mushrooms, and a pretty strong and oily broth, as well as some other stuff. Its kinda of strong by itself, but mixed with two paks of ramen it works pretty good. I’ve never tried other canned soups with ramen…might be interesting to try. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/15 "2009-06-19T17:40:08Z")
[This](http://www.wagamama.com/fun/viewrecipe/item/MTk=). Or replace the duck with teriyaki-marinated pan-fried chicken thighs. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/16 "2009-06-19T17:54:04Z")
Chopsticks. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/17 "2009-06-19T17:58:58Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Well, it’s about an inch for two blocks of ramen. It’s less than you think once it’s melted. Ah, that explains it. I never make two blocks. Plus, I haven’t made it in a while anyway because I can’t find the baked kind and I’m trying to cut down on the fried food. ---
**Author:** ![Jorge\_Burrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Jorge\_Burrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorge_Burrito)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/18 "2009-06-19T18:28:09Z")
I am about to perform a slight hijack, but any recommendations for instant ramen noodles themselves? Something not to difficult to find would be nice. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/19 "2009-06-19T18:42:24Z")
> [@Jorge\_Burrito](#): > > I am about to perform a slight hijack, but any recommendations for instant ramen noodles themselves? Something not to difficult to find would be nice. I like the spicy chicken version of these: [http://www.nissinfoods.com/chowmein/](http://www.nissinfoods.com/chowmein/). Fill bowl with water, 5 minutes and thirty seconds in the micro, and it’s done. Great for a quick ramen-ish fix. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295/20 "2009-06-19T18:58:43Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > [This](http://www.wagamama.com/fun/viewrecipe/item/MTk=). > > Or replace the duck with teriyaki-marinated pan-fried chicken thighs. That looks fabulous nemesis. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-in-your-ramen-noodles/500295.md?page=2)