Help With Ramen.

[Mystic Muse]

Well, while some people in my family seem to think it's disgusting I like Ramen. However, I've been feeling like there's something I need to add to it to make it better. So far, here's what I generally add to make it tastier.

1 egg
pre cooked chicken.
Onion
Garlic
Baby carrots
Corn

Usually not all at once because I don't always have all the ingredients. Anything else I should be adding?

I can't think of anything else that I usually put in, but I feel like I'm missing something that I usually put in.

I usually use Maruchan brand chicken Ramen.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Some of that ham lunchmeat goes down a treat.

If you don't mind the smell, sesame oil.

Sesame seeds.

Um, chili flakes. Most of those are more flavouring than anything else though.

[arguskos]

I make a ramen I call the Spicy Special:
-Chili Powder
-Ancho Powder
-Mustard Powder
-Spicy 4-S (a blend of sea salt, pepper, paprika, and something I always forget)
-Smoked Spanish Paprika
-Chipotle Tabasco
-Half the ramen seasoning package. Works best with chicken.

Add all the spices (to taste, by the by) to the ramen after the seasoning package and while it stands in the cooking water (after draining extreme excess, leave a good amount though). Consume. Make sure to drink the soupy water after the noodles are done! It's important that you do this!

It's hotter than hell. And delicious to boot. :smallamused:

[Mystic Muse]

Add all the spices (to taste, by the by) to the ramen after the seasoning package and while it stands in the cooking water (after draining extreme excess, leave a good amount though). Consume. Make sure to drink the soupy water after the noodles are done! It's important that you do this!


:smalleek:

I'm sorry. I can't consume the leftover broth. I also don't really enjoy spicy foods all that much but I'm willing to try it.

[arguskos]

:smalleek:

I'm sorry. I can't consume the leftover broth. I also don't really enjoy spicy foods all that much but I'm willing to try it.
Why not? It's water with spices in it. Also, if you don't like spicy foods, do not make this. It will be a terrible waste of your ramen. Make something else.

[Mystic Muse]

Why not? It's water with spices in it.

I'm aware. It's just the thought makes me gag. I know a lot of people like it, but a lot of people like refried beans or Lima beans and I can't stand those either.

And if it's not a good idea if I don't like spicy foods, then I'll take your advice and eat something else. Unless there's a good way for me to build up my resistance to hot foods that nobody has told me about.

[arguskos]

I'm aware. It's just the thought makes me gag. I know a lot of people like it, but a lot of people like refried beans or Lima beans and I can't stand those either.
Do you gag on soup, as well? Cause, it's soup. :smallconfused: I have issues understanding this concern, but ok then.

As for building tolerance to hot foods, well, eat them more. That's... really it.

[Mystic Muse]

Do you gag on soup, as well? Cause, it's soup. :smallconfused: I have issues understanding this concern, but ok then.


When I eat soup there are other ingredients besides spices, water, and chicken bouillon.

I really don't know how to explain it.

[Coidzor]

Well, you could do a peanut soup variant of it, but peanut butter (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcRkd17IfxM) is a good addition when preparing it as noodles rather than soup.

Personally though, I use a 1.5 or 2 quart bowl, add the peanut butter at the bottom of the bowl, microwave the noodles with the water at the same time, and let the peanut butter acting as a thickener and boiling off of the water combine to get the consistency I want. But if the sauce is too thin, I'll usually just add a bit more peanut butter.

Also, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder with a bit of hot sauce are phenomenal with the peanut butter and soy.

edit: Further Youtube video about healthier Ramen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kvvQN60Pm8&feature=channel)because that one woman's voice was enjoyable.

[arguskos]

When I eat soup there are other ingredients besides spices, water, and chicken bouillon.

I really don't know how to explain it.
Not so with tomato soup. Or even chicken soup when you've finally eaten all the stuff in it. It's an odd hang-up, and I want to understand it better is all. No way to learn about stuff other than endless queries! :smallbiggrin: Please don't think I'm trying to belittle or anything. I'm just curious and in an oddly good mood.

Other ramen recipes I've seen and used include:
-Just using them like normal pasta. They're good at that, actually. Not worth the price for it though.
-Ramen brownies. I can't explain any better than the name, but I swear to all the gods in heaven, they're real, and amazingly tasty. It's hard to explain.
-This thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139389) is relevant to your interests.
-I've one marinated some sliced chicken breasts in teriyaki, then added them to a Spicy Special. Worked out great.

EDIT: Note that I'm assuming you're making this on the stove. If you're a microwave Ramen maker... we're done here. :smallannoyed:

[valadil]

I add a pinch of cheese to most premade soups. Not enough to make it taste cheesy, but just enough to give it a little bit of fat. We're talking like 5 shreds of cheddar here.

Also try scallions and peas.


I make a ramen I call the Spicy Special:


Try Mystic Ramen if you can get your hands on it. It's the spiciest food I've ever had short of Mad Dog 357.

[Mystic Muse]

Not so with tomato soup. Or even chicken soup when you've finally eaten all the stuff in it. I know. Once it gets down to that point though, I don't eat it anymore. Also, I don't like tomato soup.
It's an odd hang-up, and I want to understand it better is all. No way to learn about stuff other than endless queries! :smallbiggrin: Please don't think I'm trying to belittle or anything. I'm just curious and in an oddly good mood. Oh, I know, I just have no clue how to explain it. I


Other ramen recipes I've seen and used include:
-Just using them like normal pasta. They're good at that, actually. Not worth the price for it though. I could try this. Would probably work with what I usually put in it if I had a little something extra to make the onions less strong.


-Ramen brownies. I can't explain any better than the name, but I swear to all the gods in heaven, they're real, and amazingly tasty. It's hard to explain. This one I'm not so sure about but I might give it a try.


-This thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139389) is relevant to your interests. Thanks, I'll check it out.


-I've one marinated some sliced chicken breasts in teriyaki, then added them to a Spicy Special. Worked out great. Hmm. That sounds like it might be good. I'll have to give it a try some time.


EDIT: Note that I'm assuming you're making this on the stove. If you're a microwave Ramen maker... we're done here. :smallannoyed:

Nope. All stove made.

[Anxe]

Soy sauce?

[Coidzor]

There was another discussion in the past, oh, let's say 2-3 months that various things people did with Ramen came up as well... I think the Playground Cookbook thread has some twists in it as well. If it's still around and hasn't been deleted...

[Amiel]

I second sesame oil, it really brings out the flavours of the added ingredients.

If you don't mind the taste and have an inclination for something "filling", why not add some cube-cuts of spam?

You may want to add some shallots or spring onions or possibly leek if you feel the former two suggestions are too similar to onion.

You could also add some peas to complement the corn.

[Coidzor]

On the note of peas, has anyone tried non-green peas in this context before?

[BiblioRook]

My usual ramen ad-ins typically are green onions, carrots (lots of them if I can :smalltongue: ) and tofu.

[Coidzor]

My usual ramen ad-ins typically are green onions, carrots (lots of them if I can :smalltongue: ) and tofu.

what form does said tofu take?

[BiblioRook]

I'm lazy, so just firm tofu cut into cubes.
I usually let it simmer for a while after adding the spice mix to let it soak up the flavor though.

[THAC0]

Veggies.

If you're going to be eating ramen, add something redeeming. ;)

[Rockphed]

EDIT: Note that I'm assuming you're making this on the stove. If you're a microwave Ramen maker... we're done here. :smallannoyed:

I only make ramen in a microwave when I am up on campus and have exhausted my fast food budget. It takes longer to cook, is annoying to clean up, is hard to find somewhere to eat(I'm doing this in the engineering building, so there aren't any real places to sit near the nuker), and I can't put anything good in.

Normally, I put onions and frozen vegetables(corn, peas, brocolli, or various mixed veggie things), but sometimes I put left over chicken or roastbeef. When I remember to get some, I put in hotdogs. I think I have put raisins in ramen before, though only after we took it off the stove and were waiting for it to cool down.

Next question: integrity of the dried noodles when put into the pot? I.e. how much do you break it up?

[Coidzor]

It takes longer to cook

:smallconfused: If you ignore the time it takes for the water to boil, maybe.

[Mystic Muse]

Next question: integrity of the dried noodles when put into the pot? I.e. how much do you break it up?

Not any more than it is when I get it out of the package.

[Ravens_cry]

Ramen.
Fresh garlic is awesome. Sliced celery is good, but put it in when you start to boil the water, otherwise you will just have raw hot celery. Not bad if you lie the crunch, but with ramen I like it a little cooked.
Peanut butter? I survived my first month living alone on ramen, peanut butter and celery soup. It will tend to make the water foam, so be careful.
Pepper adds a nice zing, and different herbs and spices are a nice touch. Pepper and your typical Italian Seasoning herb mix is nice with Chicken Ramen.
Frozen vegetables of any sort make a nice addition. Add them once the water has boiled then wait for the water to boil again before you add the noodles for perfect cooking time. I get these frozen unbreaded 'chicken' burgers, for a 10 for 3 dollars. I cook one in the toaster oven, then slice it up and add it to the soup during the noodle boiling stage.
I personally like the broth after, but that's me.

[Coidzor]

If you go the peanut butter route, it makes a great thing to finish off the broth with a piece of toast or two in hand. Well, as long as you're going with a thicker broth anyway. Thinner broths really need something like rolls or crumbled up crackers or croutons or something, but YMMV.

Loves me some spicy peanut butter-soy stuff on toast after slurping down some noodlies. :smallbiggrin:

And there's usually ways to come across those little baggies of a pair of saltines or captain's wafers...

<_< >_> Speaking of which, I want some captain's wafers now.

[Lady Tialait]

I usally have little to no broth with my Ramen, I drop-cook it in broth then pull it up with a slight crunch. I usally fry up some SPAM and Over-Easy Eggs to go with it. I serve it with a small serving of buttery corn.

I'm way used to full meals...

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

I just eat them like a noodle soup. The noodles and the soup are inseparable to me.

[Anuan]

Gwyn's got it right. If you order Ramen in Japan or a Japanese restaraunt you're going to get a big bowl of noodle soup with various things in it. Such things generally include a sheet of nori, a piece or two of naruto (a fish sausage as well as a terrible anime), probably meat of whatever type of broth you've got, sometimes egg.

Similar things can be added to stovetop instant 50c packs of ramen. Add egg. In fact, using no seasoning and then scrambling eggs with ramen and cheese in it is pretty freakin' tasty. Makes one hell of a mess for your pan, though. Add appropriate meats. Add whatever you like, depending on whether or not you want to keep the broth. It's meant to be a soup, but if you just want to use the noodles, you can flavour them with sauces and mix in stirfried vegetables and shrimp and suchlike.

[Uncertainty]

I find mushrooms and some scallions go nicely, at least with some flavors.

I also once knew someone who had a really interesting method of preparing ramen... They would boil it in only 1/4 the water needed, and add the spice packet before it stopped cooking. They would then simmer it and let all of the water/spices get absorbed up into the noodles, and eat the result. Apparently, it was very good.