A Quick and Easy Asian-Inspired Dish
Hello, food fans! Today I’m going to show you how to make ramen noodle, a quick and easy Asian-inspired dish that is made with instant noodles, soy sauce, and kofta spice mix. Ramen noodle is a low-fat and high-calorie dish that is perfect for a busy weeknight meal. It is also simple to make and requires only a few ingredients. Let’s learn more about this dish and how to make it at home!
History of Ramen Noodle
Ramen noodle is a variation of ramen, a souplike noodle dish of Chinese origin that is a staple of Japanese fast food. Ramen consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a broth; common flavors are soy sauce and miso, with typical toppings including sliced pork, nori, menma, and scallions. Ramen has its roots in Chinese noodle dishes, reflecting the demographics of Chinese settlers in Yokohama in the early 20th century. The word “ramen” is a Japanese borrowing of the Chinese word 拉麵 (lāmiàn), meaning ‘pulled noodles’. The dish evolved from southern Chinese noodle dishes, such as la mian or dandan noodles.
Ramen gained popularity in Japan, especially during food shortages following World War II. In 1958, instant noodles were invented by Momofuku Ando, further popularizing the dish. Instant packaged ramen quickly became a staple of Japanese home cooks. In 1966 Ando added a self-contained ramen that could be cooked by adding hot water to ingredients in a paper cup, carrying the self-evident name Cup Noodles. Because of their ease and low price, Nissin’s Top Ramen and Cup Noodles became favourites of workers with short mealtimes and especially of students cooking in their dormitory rooms on hot plates or in microwave ovens.
Ramen also appeals to gourmands, and noodle shops are popular around the world, sometimes with unexpected local variations; for example, one in Oslo, Norway, adds local ingredients such as pear vinegar, preserved lemons, and pickled plums to the traditional Japanese mix.
Ingredients
- For the ramen noodle:
- 1 packet of instant noodles
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of kofta spice mix (or use a combination of salt, black pepper, cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes)
- For the garnish (optional):
- 1 small carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 spring onion, chopped
Instructions
- To make the ramen noodle, boil 1 cup of milk in a saucepan. Add 1 packet of instant noodles and cook until the noodles are swollen and cooked, for about 5 minutes.
- At this stage, you can also add the oil and spice mixture that comes out of the package if you want. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of kofta spice mix and stir well.
- If you don’t use the oil and spice mixture, don’t forget to add some salt.
- When the noodles are cooked, turn off the heat. If your noodles are too thick at this stage, you can add some more milk before turning off the heat.
- Your ramen noodle is ready to serve.
- To garnish, sprinkle with carrot, green pepper, and spring onion if desired.
- Enjoy your ramen noodle hot or cold with some yogurt or tomato sauce on the side.
I hope you liked this recipe for ramen noodle. It is one of my favorite Asian-inspired dishes and I’m sure you will love it too. If you try it, let me know how it turned out in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow my blog for more delicious recipes from around the world. See you next time!