Rethinking Ramen

Re-Thinking Ramen Everyone is familiar with the quick easy version of ramen noodle soup found in just about everyone’s pantry, college dorm room, or emergency food supply. Who doesn’t love ramen noodle soup? What if we could make ramen a little bit healthier and tastier without slaving away in the kitchen with homemade ingredients? Taking your ramen to the next level is easier than you might think! Here are some tips to help you Re-Think your ramen. By: Jason Marcum

Noodles For the ultimate Ramen noodle soup nothing beats homemade noodles. If you don’t have time for homemade there is nothing wrong with pre-packaged noodles. Fresh packed noodles are among the best because of the lower sodium content but they can be difficult to find. Nevertheless, if you are having a hard time deciding which brand of rice noodles to try first, make sure to check out Lotus Foods. Lotus Foods has a large selection of fresh, low sodium rice noodles that would be a perfect addition to any ramen dish.

Stock Forget about those sodium and preservative filled packets that come with the cheapest noodle packages. Ideally a flavorful broth with authentic ingredients makes for the best ramen noodles. However, authentic Japanese ramen broth takes a long time and there aren’t really any shortcuts to authentic broth. Instead of slaving away in the kitchen for three days making the perfect traditional broth, using quality store bought broth is the next best option. You can make up for the lack of flavor with ingredients and toppings.

Oil Adding oil to your ramen is a game-changer, once you start adding oil you will never go back! The added aroma and kick of flavor you get from the oil makes all the difference in the world. Sesame oil is among the easiest and obvious choices. Sesame oil works great and is the best option if you are limited on time (start light, it’s easy to over do it with sesame oil). If you have some free time on your hands there are some other easy options you can make yourself. Garlic, black garlic, chili, scallion and ginger oils are all good options and really easy to make at home. Experiment and see which flavor you like the best!

Protein As usual, protein is optional, depending on your diet and preference. Just about any protein works well in ramen although tofu, chicken, pork and beef are the most common. Seafood such as shrimp, crab, clams or any kind of fish is really good in ramen as well. If you prefer plant-based protein, tofu is an excellent option since it soaks up the flavor from your broth and oil, also adding a bit of texture and little bursts of flavor to your dish.

Sauces For additional flavor, sauces you should consider adding to your ramen include; low sodium soy sauce, mirin, Saki, fish sauce, oyster sauce and/or sriracha.

Toppings Sour, salty, sweet or lots of heat. The options for topping your ramen are seemingly endless. Here is a list of essential options to get started with: red cabbage, broccoli, carrots, roasted tomatoes, red pepper, egg, scallions, nori, chili peppers, sesame seeds, kimchi, ginger, mushrooms and mung bean sprouts. Start by boiling water/broth.

Put oil in the bowl and add noodles.

Pour the hot broth over the noodles and oil.

Cover and let sit for 3 minutes.

Add desired protein, toppings, sauce or spices and enjoy!