When the weather outside is frightful, and the pack of ramen on your fridge looks so delightful, grab your fork and bowl, because it’s Ramen Time! As ice and snowstorms continue to attack our campus, venturing outdoors to acquire a warm meal may seem like a perilous endeavor—one that could lead to devastating injuries. As your freshmen foodies, Rachel and I have a simple, quick and low-budget meal plan that will satisfy your hunger and warm your soul. Today we sat down and asked our ramen expert and fellow roommate Jessie Jackson ’14 to answer a few questions about how to create the perfect bowl.
Whether you prefer beef, chicken, or oriental (i.e. the vegetarian option) flavors; Top Ramen or Maruchan, Jessie has provided you with some of the best insights on how to transform a seemingly banal pack of hard noodles into a sensational dorm room delicacy.
“You have to add the right amount of water into the bowl while you are making the noodles, for starters,” Jessie commented as we began preparing our bowl of ramen. With this in mind, Rachel and I commenced by breaking up the pack of noodles, putting the smaller clumps into a medium size bowl and then filling it almost to the top with water. Be extra careful not to throw away the flavor pack (or allow it to nuke unseen in the microwave along with the noodles) for Rachel and I have committed both mistakes and have suffered the dire consequences. Let the noodles cook for three minutes, and then stir the bowl a few times. Place it back in the microwave for another minute or two, checking it after the first minute to ensure that the noodles are not over cooking.
The great thing about ramen is that you can control the consistency of your noodles. If you prefer them crunchier, take the bowl out after the initial three minutes, but if you like them soft and slippery, keep the bowl in for additional time. When the noodles are finally done to your liking, drain a little bit of the excess water (unless you enjoy a soupier consistency to your ramen), add the flavor packet and stir.
“If you want to give this dish a little something extra, add some garlic salt,” Jessie said. “This goes particularly well if you are using beef flavored ramen.” As Rachel and I can attest, garnishing this steaming bowl of noodles with a dash of garlic salt will give it an absolutely addictive quality. Although this may seem like a saline overload, you’ll just have to trust us.
Although Rachel and I have provided you with what we consider to be the best bowl of ramen, we encourage you to explore and experiment with this culinary endeavor. It may be simple, but creating a unique flavor for your ramen is a culinary adventure certainly worth pursuing. Moreover, ramen is something that almost everyone can enjoy, so make it a social activity. Create several varieties and invite people to try a bowl of piping hot goodness that will make this horribly cold weather a little more bearable. Stay warm and eat well!
Peace and love,
The Freshmen Foodies
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