I generally do a no-frills thing:
Cook the noodles. When they get softish, put in the flavor packet and some vinegar. Turn the heat down to let it simmer for about 5 minutes. It boils down the water so the broth is richer, while also letting the noodles take up the flavor instead of just kind of being in it.
But I haven’t had ramen in a LONG time…at least six years now (since I moved in with supervenusfreak).
Here’s how I do ramen:
Buy the cheap noodles at Aldi’s, usually a dozen wrapped packages.
Open one package. Remove “flavor” packet and discard.
Break up block of ramen into small pot
Add a spoonful of chicken boullion
Add a dash of soy sauce.
Add a bit of either onion or garlic.
Add whatever greens I have handy - bok choy is a favorite but I’ve used all sorts
Slice and add a mushroom or two.
Heat until boiling. Reduce heat, simmer until noodles and vegetables are softened.
Eat.
Other oriental sauces are cool, as it adding hot sauce. All sorts of vegetables are yummy, like carrots and radishes and water chestnuts…
When I’m really ambitious I’ll even make my own dashi, but not too often.
I toss the packet and make the noodles in cream of chicken soup. A little garlic/onion powder is nice, as are some red pepper flakes.
I’m a little disappointed to admit that it never really occurred to me to doctor up my Ramen. I’ll usually just boil the noodles on top of the stove as instructed and then pour off about 2/3rd of the water called for before adding the flavor packet. That’s the extent of the customizing that I do, I like the noodles to be less soupy and more pasta-y so I shoot for a more concentrated version of the flavoring.
If I were able to have more fresh produce on hand like this I’d probably have to test it out. I suppose I could buy some bok choi, scallions, sprouts, ginger and various sauces and have an asian cooking week. Make some Pad Thai, Ramen, Stir Fry and such to use it all up before it spoils.
Quick Poll: Maruchan vs. Top Ramen. Discuss.
Don’t know about YOUR local grocery store, but mine sells frozen packages of “oriental” or “stir fry” vegetables. Buy a bag, toss a handful in the soup, put the rest back in the freezer. Works with just about any bag of frozen vegetables.
Whichever is cheaper this week. Have I mentioned recently I’m poor?
A classic thread from 2000:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=41937#newpost
Pieces of block mozzarella. Or else plain, but with a glass of milk on the side. Something about Ramen makes me crave dairy.
I get frozen stir fry veggies, the ones with edaname from Trader Joe’s and cook those with the noodles, add Sriracha & fish sauce. MMMMM!
Usually I add instant ramen to soup rather than the other way around. My daughter likes chicken soup made from scratch with vegetables and half a block of Top Ramen. Sometimes I add a little of the flavor packet, but not all, on account of the sodium (have you read the nutrition info?:eek:)
Nissin, the company that makes Top Ramen, also has a somewhat healthier line called Choice Ramen. I’ve been hearing for a while that Choice Ramen was discontinued (ramen purchases apparently weren’t willing to pay slightly more for a less unhealthy product), but I always see it at my local grocery store.
If you can find it, then Choice Ramen tastes the same as other instant ramen but has significantly less sodium and is also lower in fat. It comes in three flavors, beef, chicken, and shrimp. At my grocery store it costs about twice as much as other instant ramen…meaning that it’s 30 or 40 cents instead of 15 or 20.
Other than adding a dash of soy sauce or leftovers of some type - nothing, otherwise I would be Cooking With Ramen and defeating the purpose of cheap eatin’. Baby bok choy is over $4 a lb., and leftover meat, if any, goes into sandwiches (or Somebody mysteriously eats it in the middle of the night) - as for leftover shrimp? Impossible, never happens!.. If I think ahead of time, I can grab a little container and hit the salad bar at the grocery store for a few goodies to throw in! Red pepper slices, carrot sticks, green peas all make for a pretty bowl of noodles.
salinqmind Well, I put all the things that I already have into the ramen noodles, they are still cheap. It is stuffing it with leftovers but the question is which leftovers are you stuffing it with?
I feel as though my eyes have been opened - it never occured to me to add things to ramen. I’ve thrown in the occasional egg, but I had no idea that the Japanese (or the Dopers) were such masters of ramen.
writes down ideas
I add leftover chicken, beef, or pork if I have it. I usually add some teriyaki sauce.
I eat Cup Noodles, which is a styrofoam cup containing the noodles, seasoning, and some freeze-dried veggies. You pour boiling water into the cup, put the lid back on, and wait for three minutes. When I eat them, I must share them with one of my cats, who apparently thinks that Cup Noodles are even yummier than tuna juice. I have to give her her own saucer of noodles, which she gleefully slurps down.
I think chicken gizzards in ramen is kinda’ good!
We’ve recently been getting the Mama brand (Thai ramen) Tom Yum Goong and add a few frozen shrimp in with the noodles. Comes out quite nicely, although I usually add some extra lime or even vinegar to get the flavor right. Be careful if you get this stuff since it can be REALLY spicy if you add the whole chili pepper packet in. I’d suggest you add a little at a time to make sure it’s not too hot.
At work, where I buy stuff as-needed from the grocery department for lunch: one of those steamed vegetable packets sold by Green Giant. I get one (I think it’s sold as an “immune system” booster) that has brightly colored peppers, broccoli, snap peas, etc. Cook the packet while letting the ramen bowl/cup steep, combine… good stuff.
At home, I’ll often add a dollop of peanut butter to a batch of ramen before cooking. The peanut butter combines with the sauce/soup stuff to make a good peanut sauce; I use crunchy peanut butter, but it probably works well with smooth, too. Grossed my ex-wife out to no end, but a few of my Thai classmates and coworkers have said they do the same thing.
That sounds like a great stirfry starter, too.
yes, Student Driver, peanut butter added to the broth or a dollop added to the hot noodles.
Then top with pea-sized bit of carrot (a lot) and crushed cashews bits.
add green onion tops if you have them.
can stir a dash of hot sauce and hoisin into the peanut butter over low heat.
This is a favorite lunch, carrots and cashews!
It’s a great addition to tons of convenience meals that would otherwise be pretty unhealthy or bland: fried rice, ramen, a can of macaroni and cheese, pre-prepared white or brown rice, microwave entrees of pasta, etc. I even have wrapped them in a tortilla for a hot sandwich on the go. I’ve seen plenty of microwave-ready steamed vegetable packets from various vendors, but the Green Giant ones are single-serve and available in a wide variety of vegetables.
And I’ll have to try Breccia’s suggestions, especially regarding the cashew bits. I think the texture of cashews works better than peanuts in noodles, but never thought to put 'em in my ramen. And a dash of sriracha is always good!