We all know that every college student’s savior is a good ole bowl of instant noodles. But, sometimes, the typical chicken flavored soup just isn’t enough. Here are 5 ways you can level up your ramen game!
1. Add your own spices
Whatever you have on hand, get creative! My favorite spices to add are fresh ginger, which adds a wonderful kick to the chicken flavoring. Another foolproof spice to add is garlic. Garlic can do no wrong. Things like cilantro, paprika, turmeric, and curry are also amazing to step up your ramen game! Fresh is always best, but dried spices are affordable and super easy to keep.
2. Make leftovers ramen
Have some leftover chicken from that combo from your favorite criollo place? Throw it in ramen. Got some veggies from that new year’s diet kick you gave up a week in? Throw it in ramen. Clear out your fridge of meats and veggies such as chicken, beef, broccoli, carrots, onions, etc. If it sounds good, throw it in that ramen bowl with no regrets.
3. Add nuts
It’s super simple but super classic in Asian cuisine. Throw in some roasted peanuts on your noodles and it adds a salty crunch to the whole dish! Not a fan of peanuts? Sesame seeds are also an amazing topping to ramen and chicken. Cashews are my personal fave, especially with some chicken on the side! Just cook your ramen and sauté everything in a pan with some oil so the all the flavorful oils of the nuts release into the dish!
4. Make stir-fry
Not feeling like having soup? Cook your ramen as usual but drain the noodles and make a stir fry! This basically goes hand-in-hand with the “leftovers” tip, where you add the meat or meat substitute, a good sauce of choice (teriyaki is foolproof), and any fresh veggies you like or have on hand. The beauty of this is that’s it’s easy on the wallet and freshly made!
5. Add eggs
This is probably my favorite treat: eggs in ramen. You can boil them in the ramen or just crack them in and have them cook roaming free in your soup. They add protein and flavor, making ramen a nice hearty dinner for a night of studying!
What’s your favorite thing to do with ramen? Let us know on our Twitter and Facebook!