BY: Savanna Sabb
For college students, ramen has always been that go to meal. It’s cheap and very fast to cook which is perfect for college students considering we have very little time to spare and also the cheaper route is always the better route.
Because ramen is so cheap and easy to cook, it’s hard not to eat it whenever we need something fast. There is a downside to ramen though it can be a bit redundant and boring. If it’s eaten the basic way with only the ramen packet that is provided.
There are plenty of other ingredients that can be added to your ramen that makes it taste a little less like a one dollar meal and more of a hundred-dollar meal… maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration but your ramen will taste a lot better.
1. Meat
Basically, any kind of meat will do. Yes that means you can finally use that sandwich meat that has been sitting in your refrigerator begging for you to make a sandwich. Pre- cooked rotisserie chicken also makes a perfect add on. While the ramen is boiling, that is the best time for you to pick off from any part of the chicken you want including the thighs, drumsticks, or the breast and just add them to the soup so they can heat up with the noodles.
2. Eggs
Eggs have been added to ramen ever since Ramens origination in Japan. If you have some extra time, boil some eggs and let them sit in a bath of 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoon mirin, and one teaspoon sesame oil. Allow it to soak in the soy sauce bath for about 30 minutes. Don’t feel like doing all that work? That’s fine you can also crack the egg in the ramen while it’s cooking for a poached egg, beat an egg and add it into your noodles or fry an egg in a separate pan and add it after. Your options for this are endless.
3. Vegetables
Bean sprouts, corn, onions, mushrooms just to name a few vegetables add flavor and a bit of healthiness to your bowl of noodles. To cheat your way through buying a whole bunch of vegetables, just buy a frozen bag of vegetables that have corn, peas, carrots or whatever you choose.
Ramen Tips:
❖ For additional flavors, you can add spices to your liking and even a little twist of lemon or lime juice.
❖ It’s better to undercook ramen, just like pasta. It’s best to let the ramen continue to cook after it has been out of the pot and poured into your bowl.
❖ Remember to have fun with your ramen and experiment you never know what taste delicious until you try it. Some add white cheese to their ramen and love it.