Ramen is a staple in any collegiate household, but despite its widespread fame and simplicity, not all ramen is made equally! I asked college students in my life to write their go-to ramen recipe down for me, and I’ve gathered and presented them here for you!
Clayton (Arizona State University)
First, I get a pan, not a pot or saucepan, and I fill it with 6 or 7 seconds of water from the sink. This may not seem like enough water, but I don’t like my ramen to have broth. Then I throw it on the stove and when it starts boiling, put a chunk of noodles in there. You’re most likely going to have to stir and flip the noodles over until they are broken apart enough to be fully submerged. Keep the water boiling and add in seasoning and extras. These are optional; you can add in as many or as few as you want. This is the time to put in the flavor powder the ramen comes with if you want. Depending on what I feel like, I add soy sauce, garlic salt, onion (minced, powdered, chopped), pepper, hot sauce or all of the above. I encourage you to try around with other ingredients you might have. I like my ramen to be spicy, so I typically dump a good amount in, unless I’m using my scorpion pepper hot sauce, which I would never put in more than two drops of. Then I add in veggies, my favorites are corn and peas, mainly because it’s pretty easy to buy bags or cans of them and just dump in as much as you want, with no chopping required. Finally, it is time for protein. Reduce the heat if you haven’t yet and stir in finely chopped meat or other protein options. Then I add an egg, either just stirring it in and beating it with the ramen while it cooks, or I fry it over easy in another pan. Turn off the heat, put the egg on, and it’s ready to eat!
Emma (University of California, Berkley)
unfortunately, I do not have a go-to ramen recipe as I don’t cook and prefer the simplicity of cup-of-noodles
it’s salty and delicious
Maggie (Central Washington University)
One pack of chicken ramen
One egg
First, measure out two cups of water in a pot. We follow the directions on the package.
Then you break up the ramen while it’s still in the packaging.
Remove the little spice packet and add noodles to the water. Bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes
When the ramen has been cooking for 2 minutes swirl the water and crack an egg into it. We’re trying to poach the egg just long enough that the whites harden but the yolk is runny.
Remove from the heat and add the spice packet. (All of it we don’t care about sodium)
Then pour out some of the broth into the sink because it makes a mess while you’re eating and then pour the noodles and egg into a bowl and enjoy.
Alexandra (Me!)
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Gather your ingredients: extra firm tofu, instant ramen packet, sesame oil, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, egg, green onions, sesame seeds.
Cut tofu into cubes and spread them out on a baking sheet.
The timing is very important! Once the oven is ready, put the tofu inside and set a timer for 10 minutes.
Bring water to a boil on the stove, (should take about 5 minutes), and add instant ramen.
Let ramen cook for 5 minutes, stirring every once in a while.
In a large skillet, combine sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic chili sauce on medium-high heat until the oil starts to pop, then bring down to medium-low. The ratio I use for the sauces is 2:1:3
10 mins have passed on your tofu and 5 on your ramen. Drain the ramen and flip the tofu and set a timer for 10 more minutes.
Add drained ramen to skillet and begin to stir fry, adjusting heat as necessary, for about 5 mins.
In the same pot you cooked your ramen in, which should still be hot on the stove, add a small amount of sesame oil and crack your egg into it. I like my whites firm and yolks runny, so I cook for about 2 mins.
This is the scary part because everything is happening at once! Remove your tofu from the oven and add to the ramen-stir-fry mixture, making sure to coat each piece.
Transfer stir fry to bowl, top with chopped green onions, sesame, egg, and enjoy!
Turn off all appliances!
Results
If you try any of these recipes be sure to tag us on Instagram @hercampuscwu !