Recipe of the Week: Homemade Ramen
Happy Fall, Her Campus family and welcome back! The time has come to say hello to changing leaves, long study sessions at Bobst, and the pigeon man who’s always roaming around WSP. What more could a college have to offer?
But, coming back to NYU means more than just study groups and brunching with the ladies; it also means you’re on your own when it comes to dinner. Lucky for you, Her Campus NYU has collected the best recipes for you to try out in your home away from home.
First up on the menu is the staple in nearly everyone’s pantry: Ramen. Ramen, the cornerstone of the college diet, used to be a dreaded consequence we succumbed to when we ran out of Campus Cash or Dining Dollars, but fear Ramen no more! Here is a recipe that will glamorize any instant noodles and create a delicious meal for two people.
Your Tools
To make this ramen, gather the ingredients listed below:
1 packet of Ramen
Unsalted butter
1 chicken breast (or ½ block of tofu)
Frozen vegetables, ideally a stir fry blend
Scallion (optional)
Olive oil
Soy sauce (or three soy sauce packets)
Garlic powder
Ginger powder (or fresh ginger, not pickled!)
Sugar
For this recipe, you will also need:
1 Medium Pot
1 Skillet (large, preferred)
(Optional : 4 eggs, 1 pot to boil eggs, bowl of ice water)
The Basic Ramen:
Tried and true ramen makers can attest that this is the best way to prepare your ramen: in a medium pot combine two cups of water, seasoning packet, and butter. Heat the mix over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add your noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes (depending on your stove). Remove from heat and keep to the side.
The Fancy Stuff: Soy Sauce Chicken
For the sauce, you will need 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce (or about 3 packets of soy sauce), 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tsps garlic powder, 1 tbsp ginger powder (fresh ginger also works), and 1 chicken breast. To prepare the sauce, first dice the chicken into 1 ½ inch square pieces, which is about the size of an average chicken nugget. Into a small bowl, mix olive oil, soy sauce, sugar, garlic powder, and ginger powder. Pour this mixture into a large pan. Heat the pan over a medium-high flame. (By heating the oil first, it brings out more of the oil’s flavor). Next, add your diced chicken and coat it in the soy sauce mixture. Cook the chicken on one side for about 3-4 minutes, then flip chicken over to cook the other side.
The chicken should cook for about 6-8 minutes, but the time will vary depending on how thick your chicken breast are. The thinner the chicken, the less time it needs to cook. Always cut a piece out to check if the chicken is cooked all the way through. The chicken should not be pink on the inside; this is a red flag for undercooked chicken!
After you have turned the chicken over and it has cooked for about six minutes, add your vegetables (see below). Tossing them into the pan will coat them in the same sauce as the chicken, which will add extra tasty goodness!
The Vitamin Boost: Vegetables
For this portion of the recipe, select your favorite frozen vegetable medley. You can also add one scallion if you would like, which will be used to garnish the dish. First, heat the frozen vegetables in microwave as directed on the package. Trim the root of the scallion (white bulb part at bottom). Next, slice the scallion and set to the side.
For a true restaurant quality meal, add hard-boiled eggs to your dish. (WARNING: Read the recipe all the way through before preparing!)
In a medium sized pot, add an inch of water to cover the bottom of the pot. Gently lay your eggs onto the bottom of the pot. Add enough water to cover the tops of your eggs by one inch. Then, add a pinch or two of salt.
With the pot lid on, bring the eggs and water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat and leave the pot covered on the stove for 10-12 minutes. The longer you leave the eggs in the warm water, the harder the egg yolks will be. Most ramen dishes uses soft boiled eggs, which takes 10 minutes.
As soon as your eggs have cooked for the appropriate time, you need to take the eggs out of the pot ASAP (with a spoon, the water is still hot!) Place them in a bowl of water and ice to cool down. Once cooled, peel the shells away and slice them in half to enjoy!
The Fun Part: Plating!
In a medium to large bowl, pour in your ramen soup and ramen noodles (gently lowering the noodles into the bowl). Top your ramen with the cubed chicken and cooked vegetables. Next, layer your sliced egg on the perimeter of the bowl. To garnish, add sliced scallion, which also brightens up the dish. If you like your ramen to be rich or more kotteri (as opposed to an asari type broth which is light), you can add another slice of butter to melt into the soup.
This variation is loaded with healthy goodness, looks beautiful, and tastes fabulous! Enjoy!
Images courtesy of Sasha Einemer.