Everybody Loves Ramen

What else is there to say? It’s so true, right? EVERYBODY loves ramen (and don’t say you don’t, because I know you do)! Something about it always makes my mouth water, no matter how not hungry I am. Maybe it’s because it is so quick and easy to make. Maybe it is because it is just so darn yummy and satisfying. Maybe it’s because it is so versatile – you can add just about anything, and it will still taste good!

Ramen really is like the Asian version of American fast food. It is quick-to-make, delicious, and unhealthy (ramen is super high in sodium and contains MSG)! It’s available in practically all grocery stores, and since it is so inexpensive, many college students depend on it to survive! Ok maybe not, but you get the picture. Ramen is good.

Here’s a short lesson on ramen! Ramen (aka instant noodles) is actually a packaged product named after a real Japanese dish called ramen. In Japan, ramen is an actual noodle soup dish (made from real noodles, not instant ones), served in a savory meat broth and topped with slices of meat (like pork), seaweed, and other good stuff (just look at the picture on your instant noodles package). If you go to Tokyo, don’t be surprised to find ramen restaurants as well! But here in the United States, we refer to instant noodles as ramen, even though they are different.

How I like to make ramen:

The ingredients I use are: 1 egg, 1 package of instant noodle (spicy flavored), 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of chicken broth powder, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and a sprinkle of roasted sesame seeds.

Directions:

1. I first bring 2 cups of water to a boil on the stove.
   
2. Still on medium high heat, I add the noodles, chicken broth powder, soy sauce, and a sprinkle of the spicy chili powder (that came in the packaged ramen).
   
3. Once the noodles are cooked, I take them out and put them in a serving bowl – keeping the soup portion in the hot pan on the stovetop (in other words, don’t take out the soup!).
   
4. Next, I crack the egg into the hot soup broth (see where I’m going with this?) and cover it on medium low heat for 3-5 min until the yolk is a little firm.
   
5. Lastly I pour the soup and egg on top of the noodles in the bowl.
   
6. And then I dig in!
   
   

This is how I made the wondeful bowl of ramen pictured at the top of this post! Doesn't it look yummy?

Enjoy!