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Wednesday, January 30, 2019

"Choosing and Cooking Instant Ramen" by Alex L


Instant ramen. It’s a food that too many of us are intimately familiar with. Maybe it's because we have too little time to eat other food, too tired and hungry to care, or maybe just because you like it, almost everyone eats it. As an instant ramen connoisseur, I felt it within my duty to document an instructional guide on making instant ramen and helping impoverished souls with enhancing their experience.
First and foremost is deciding the ramen. This is the most important part since some brands are better than others. This is highly dependent on personal preference though so you may or may not agree with me. Priorities include pricing, flavor and taste, convenience as well as amount. For pricing, nothing beats Top Ramen. 



The king of price in the world of instant ramen, Top Ramen is notorious for the pennies it costs. A quick google search finds that a single pack costs as little as $0.30. When calculating the per unit cost from a 48 pack, each one costs only $0.18. And yet, for its price, these noodles practically set the baseline for all other instant noodles in the world. Not too chewy or soft, as
well as still providing good enough broth and flavor, these ramen are perfect for those can’t afford better.
Convenience is next on the list. These instant ramen brands are characterized by their containers and/or apparatus that allows them to be easily cooked with either boiling water or a microwave. Unlike other ramens, these do not require the use of a pot and separate bowl to eat in; instead they come in their own. Brands that sell these include the ever popular Cup Noodle, Bowl Noodles from Nongshim, and Maruchan. 

What these noodles make up in convenience though, they lack in agreeable pricing and size. Using Cup Noodles as the baseline, a single unit costs $0.89, almost triple the price of Top Ramen. Additionally, these cup/bowl contraptions leave little room for extra additions such as eggs, vegetables, or other toppings.
We now reach the the mid-tier and high-tier ramen. While these instant ramens are still within anyone’s price range, they are significantly better in taste and texture and occasionally come with a significant selling point. Most popularly, these include the Samyang ramen, known for their extreme spiciness levels. 

Apart from unique selling points, this tier also features ramen such as Nongshim Shin Ramyun Black, Gookmul Knight Of Ribs, Sapporo Ichiban Tonkotsu Ramen Artificially Flavored Tonkotsu White Chicken Broth. All these ramen are high tier and can easily be enjoyed alone. 


The Actual Cooking
The actual instructional portion of this blog post, and quite probably the shortest. The cooking process is dependent on the type of noodles as stated above; some only require a microwave or boiling water, while others require a pot and stove. 


Cup/Bowl
Cooking these types of instant ramens are the easiest, only requiring a microwave and boiling water. Simply fill either boiling water or room temperature water to the indicated line as directed: 

If boiling water is used, place an object on the opened flap to ensure steam doesn’t escape and the noodles can cook properly. Otherwise, if a microwave is used, microwaving for 2:30 minutes will ensure an al-dente texture while microwaving for 3:30-4:00 will create soft noodles. This is heavily dependent on the microwave used and personal preference so cook them to the consistency you prefer.
Packs
Instant ramen that comes in packs must instead be cooked using a pot and stove. These require extra prep work but almost always provide greater choice and flavor. Firstly, grab a pot and fill it up with water. If you want to the noodles to be as flavorful as possible, use WAY less water than you’d imagine as the noodles will soak in the broth. Then, simply place on the stove and leave it on high until the water comes to a boil. 


Once the water begins boiling we can start adding the ramen. Open the pack and find the seasoning packet it comes with, dumping it all into the pot. Afterwards, drop in the noodles. 

At this point, further additions can be made to upgrade your noodle experience. My personal list includes different vegetables such as tomatoes and bok choy as well as an egg, but feel free to add anything you think would go well. I personally like adding some sesame oil and chicken bouillon(no there isn’t enough salt) into mine to make the broth taste even better while others have tried even crazier combinations like cheese, peanut butter, or Tajin. 

And that’s the end to my guide. Hopefully you’ve learned to more thoroughly appreciate the gift of the heavens that is instant ramen as well as the possibilities with it. An easy dish to make, upgrading your ramen with Spam or some romaine lettuce makes it taste even better. I hope my instructional guide has open a new chapter in your instant ramen journey and, if not, here are some pictures of instant ramen for you to salivate over.



45 comments:

  1. I love making instant ramen especially because it is fast to make it. I enjoyed that you included other names and brands of ramen that I never knew before so now the next I go to the store I will try them. Thank you for sharing! (Julia Avalos)

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  2. I usually tend to eat my ramen in a super basic way, but after reading this, i want to start adding some pazazz to my ramen. You have introduced a bunch of different ways to make ramen taste as good as it possibly can be. 10/10

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  3. Hey we have the same initials! Or rather, name and then last initials... ANYWAY, this was a really piece was ABSOLUTELY helpful to me, considering how I enjoy grubbing on ramen also! Although I don't really have much of a variety at home, this was really informative and I could inevitably refer to this later on in my college life and prepare at-home-microwaved-5-stared-cuisine ramens. Overall, I really enjoyed this piece and how everything was organized neatly! Kudos to ya!

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  4. Wow, Alex! Your blog and your experience really helped place insight on the world of instant noodles! I never imagined that there would be so complex such as tiers and strategies of picking and cooking ramen! You really made the ramen sound like a very delicate and diverse snack amongst itself, taking away the common assumption that they’re just some ramen from a store. Thank you for the descriptions and the pictures as well as sharing your experience!

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  5. I've been positively enlightened by your ramen tutorial. My ramen will no longer be tasteless and cheap. Now it will taste like it was made in a restaurant. Thank you for this since I can make my own adjustments to my boring ramen to now have a five star meal. Your pictures make it so much easier to follow as well, since we all definitely needed this tutorial.

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  6. I like how you brought detail and creativity to a simple idea of instant ramen. For example, describing the different flavors, and what you can do to change it up a bit, like adding vegetables. Great job, Alex! -A. French

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  7. You opened my eyes to the vast world of instant ramen that exists. Prior to reading this I only knew of Top Ramen and Cup Noodles. Little did I know that there were so many other options of instant ramen to choose from. Thank you for including the prices along with the different types of brand so that now I am able to make choices based on both quality and cost of the instant ramen.

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  8. Though instant ramen is a common meal that most people enjoy, it was delightful to see you offer your expertise on the topic. You were very detailed and precise on listing the various ramens that exist as well as the pros/cons of each product. You offer an in-depth explanation on both pricing and various other factors such as size, which is very helpful. Finally, your instructions and tips on how to make the ramen itself was very pleasant. The imagery was very vivid and by reading your article, I'm craving some ramen now. Good job!

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  9. Lmao, I'm a big ramen noodles eater and I've never knew about these things. You are indeed a God for knowing these little things, like the cheapest to the best quality type of ramen. I tip my hat to you, ramen connoisseur.

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  10. This is one of my favorite tutorials because it is very informative and instructive, which will come in handy once we all go off to college. I like how you list the pricing and rank the types of ramen according to convenience. Good job, 10/10 would recommend.

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  11. Thank you for your ratings on all the different types of instant ramen as well as the informative instruction on how to make them. The extra combinations you put in seem very interesting and I plan on trying them. Good guide and ramen tier list!

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  12. This tutorial was well-organized and visually appealing. Not only did I enjoy how you mentioned the different tiers of Ramen, but I specifically loved when you referred the dish as a "gift of the heavens." Your blog was a very informative and exciting piece to read, Great Work!

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  13. This is very informative and will come in handy next year when we go to college. All the images helped add a visual appeal to your instructions. Great job Alex!
    -Grecia Sepulveda

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  14. Alex, this tuturial really opened my eyes to the infinite possibilities of spicing up a ramen meal. Normally I buy the Maruchan and I had never thought about the other fun flavors I could add in. I'll be sure to try these methods next time. Great job!

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  15. Alex, this may be one of the most useful tutorials I've ever read in my life. I hadn't known until know the myriad of types of instant ramen as well as the different methods of cooking that can be applied to the quick noodle meal. This will surely come in handy when living in college and having to purchase cost-efficient food like this.

    -Lance Anthony Aquino

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  16. As I am going to be a broke college student soon, this was very resourceful. You managed to include so much detail in such a simple tutorial. I appreciate you including the names of multiple brands because now I have a variety to choose from when I go grocery shopping on a budget. Your input was very insightful and also an interesting take on ramen!

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  17. This was such an informative piece that made a simple meal into something that is more complex when you look at all the options that you have. Looking at making ramen I never knew or at the very least thought of adding other ingredients to enhance the taste and experience. Wonderful piece -Sezar Guitron

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  18. This was such an informative piece that made a simple meal into something that is more complex when you look at all the options that you have. Looking at making ramen I never knew or at the very least thought of adding other ingredients to enhance the taste and experience. Wonderful piece -Sezar Guitron

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  19. Ramen noodles isn't always my "go-to" meal, but after reading your tutorial, I might have to start getting some. I was unaware of the wide varieties of flavors and ingredients you can add into your Ramen. I love your detailed instructions. I found it interesting how something so simple could have such detailed instructions.
    -Kailee Hinds

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  20. First, on behalf of myself and the rest of our classmates I want to thank you for providing us with this guide as we are graduating soon and intern beginning our college lives shortly, and thanks to you our lives will be that much easier. Also I was very impressed by how interesting you were able to keep things interesting through pout the whole work.
    -Johnny Gitau

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  21. Alex, being on the verge of college, I have learned myself that Ramen is a delicious meal. I personally enjoy just the plain old chicken flavor, I know that there’s many more flavors but it’s just so delicious. This is a really great tutorial and I will use this the next time I make myself some ramen. Great job!

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  22. This made me hungry. I expected this piece to sound really ironic and sarcastic but it seemed really genuine; You could tell that Ramen is something you deeply do enjoy. Also, I was really impressed with your knowledge on Ramen, as I have never even heard of some of the brands/types referenced here.

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  23. wow that was a great ramen making instructions. it was really great to see how you know about ramen as well as the new ramen brands that i have been shown from you. really great and it kinda made me want to experiment with ramen more.
    Alejandro Marquez

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  24. Alex, I didn't think anyone understood my passion not only for eating instant ramen but appreciating the wide variety of flavors, ease of cooking, and creative potential that ramen can have. After reading your writing, I am glad to know you share the same level of enthusiasm for instant ramen. This was the most informative and entertaining tutorial I have read thus far, well done!

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  25. Hi Alex, I really enjoyed how made a tutorial about making ramen and how you came up with different ideas in spicing up your ramen also how you explained the different flavors. When I cook my ramen, depending on the type, I sometimes put cheese inside mine.
    - Karen V.

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  26. While I was reading this I got very hungry. It was great seeing how other people make their ramen, because everyone does it differently. Can't wait to try out your recipe and feed my family. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

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  27. Alex, wow seeing all the different ramen and different ways to preparing it, you clearly opened a whole new universe to endless ramen possibilities. I liked the little addition of humor in this blog and your very descriptive tips and suggestions to making the best ramen possible. This blog was very enticing and enjoyable to read. Thank you and good job. -john b. IV

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  28. Goodness gracious this was a savory read! In fact, this made my stomach grumble and now I really crave for noodles. I definitely agree that "Top Ramen" noodles is the best out of the other instant noodle brands. I like how you added information over the different prices of noodle brands, I never really thought that Top Ramen would be the cheapest out of all of them. The fact that you presented this tutorial of cooking top ramen will definitely become very useful in my life. I never thought about adding more ingredients like spam or sesame oil for more taste so maybe I'll try doing that next time (once I learn how to not overcook my noodles). Thank you for this informative guide, I shall one day master the art of a Ramen Connoisseur!

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  29. First of all, I cant believe there’s another soul out their who appreciates the delicacy of ramen as much as I do, second of all, this was super enjoyable to read and I commend you for being so thorough and concise! (I personally can’t eat ramen without adding a few veggies and green onions!)

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  30. Due to the fact that top ramen is essential in a college student's life, I knew I needed to educate myself on it and fast. Thanks to your informative guide Alex, I am now a connoisseur in the culinary arts of ramen. Also, the pictures provided deepened my understanding of the cooking process itself. Great job!

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  31. I love Top Ramen, I mean, who doesn't?! I love how you took a staple meal and showed us so many varieties and ways to kick it up a notch! Great Job Alex!

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  32. Great tutorial, very informative for someone like me who has actually never any of these instant ramens. I’ve always personally been more of a chicken noodle soup guy. Nevertheless, this post is great, I love the rating system of ramen and the phrase, “high-tier ramen” is incredible, great post.

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  33. This is such an amazing and informative blog post! I did not know that there were so many different types of ramen noodle brands and also the prices of the noodles. Thank You! - jayleen lupian

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  34. I've always loved ramen and have had many types of it. This piece is exactly what every person looking for the best ramen needs. You clearly explainded the different components someone should look for in ramen and I know that takes skill to think of. I have had the SAMYANG noodles and i got to tell ya. 100/10 spicy points. Your piece is 100/10 as well.

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  35. Oh my goodness I was just eating ramen before reading this. lol Anyways I really enjoyed you informative blog. I love the way you shared some amazing ways to spice up your ramen.
    -Jasmine Hernandez

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  36. Instant ramen is one of the best things to have ever graced this world although it is quite unhealthy, and your tutorial have shown me that my health doesn't matter when something this great exists. I am always making ramen and I love to see the different ways that other people make their ramen. Great job alex!

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  37. Since we all are bound to eat ramen in college and even when we have no other choice this blog is perfect. The picture and details are a big help for those of us who are clueless. Great Job alex!!

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  38. Enjoyed reading this a lot because WHO DOESNT LOVE RAMEN!!!! Loved the pictures you provided and being so descriptive. Great job.

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  39. Alex, I enjoyed the fact that you wrote about ramen because if people like it or not, they'll have to become familiar with it as we enter the next stage in our lives. Your use of pictures is very enlightening for beginners and a good reminder for experts. I especially liked the fact that you gave a wide variety of ramen to choose from.
    -Brooke Leslie

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  40. This was amazing Alex, ramen is one of my favorites for sure. Although, I don't put much this much thought into which one I choose, if I'm in the store and it's just there I'm taking it home if I feel like it. Although i'll admit that my favorites are Original Top Ramen(with egg) and Bowl Noodle. Great "how to" choose and prepare the noodles. - Leslie R.

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  41. I would just like to say thank you for bringing light to such an underated delicacy! Ramen is really anything you make it and I appreciate the fact that you made that very evident in your directions. I really should true the combinations you provided in your article. Thank you for your input!

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  42. Thank you for your detailed recipe on how to cook ramen, a staple of kids our age. I really appreciate someone coming up with a piece that shows how to cook this with some professionalism.

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  43. Thanks Alex, I never knew your high authority on the Ramen field as a Ramen connoisseur, and I appreciate you sharing your knowledge on the subject. I feel ever so enlightened now from this piece; I will see to it that your teachings will not go wasted. - Ethan Ford

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  44. Alex, omg I thought the blog was gonna be o weird when I saw the title but it truly was unique. I really enjoyed reading it, keep it up!

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  45. Alex, I just want tot start off by saying what a great job you did at explaining the way to makes these noddles and showing us the different types. I never knew someone could know so much about ramen noodles but you proved me wrong. GOOD JOB

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