My Mutant Kitchen #2 – Instant Ramen with Gaby

Hi everyone!

Gaby here.

So… uh. I’m a little embarrassed. I was asked to do an episode of My Mutant Kitchen, but I really don’t cook all that often. I live alone and it’s not usually worth it to make big lavish meals all for myself. You have to think on a budget when you are a student.

I do have a favorite meal though: instant ramen.

Wait! Wait wait wait wait don’t leave!

I know you think this is crazy, but instant ramen can be a fantastic meal. You all probably remember the cups of noodles you bought for fifty cents here and there. Stop that! You can do so much better. Once you try these ramen hacks, you will never go back to the cheap stuff.

Step #1: Actually buy good instant ramen

Did you know that instant ramen is actually considered a decent meal in Japan? We just think it’s cheap because we only buy the cheap stuff, like Cup-O-Noodles. Spend a few cents more and you can get really good instant ramen, like Sapporo Ichiban, Paldo, Shin Ramyun Black, and much more. Just go onto Amazon and search for “Instant Ramen Variety Pack” to see the wonderful varieties of imported noodles you can choose from. Or maybe even take a stop to your local Asian market. You don’t have to spent too much money to get noodles that are much much better than the cheap stuff.

Step #2: Keep dried ingredients in stock

Instant noodles are instant because, well, they rehydrate when you pour boiling water on them. There are a lot of OTHER things that do the same, and can turn your ramen snack into a meal. Meat is a good place to start. You can find dried roast chicken or pork, dried shrimp or crab, or any other sort of dried meat of choice that you can just put down in the bowl for a protein boost. Veggies are where the real money is. Dried shitake mushrooms, dried seaweed, dried sprouts, really anything can turn your ramen experience up a few notches. Don’t forget dried green onions too! They are a perfect garnish.

Step #3: Keep canned ingredients in stock

Did you know that Miso ramen is often had with corn in Japan? Just keep a can of corn around and you can have it too. The same goes for ANY canned veggie, from peas to carrots to mushrooms and even beans if the desire arises. You can also add jarred ingredients like roasted red peppers or pre-minced garlic. Don’t forget more traditional Asian ingredients like bamboo shoots or water chestnuts.

Step #4: Fresh stuff

There are some ingredients you can add right from your fridge. Leafy greens like spinach or bok choy can just be tossed in the bowl without much thought. You can also buy little button mushrooms to throw in as well. Naruto isn’t just an anime. It’s a style of fish cake that you can throw in for a bit of umami. Vegetarians and vegans can throw in seitan or tofu without much thought as well.

Step #4: Spices!

You know that spice pack that comes with your ramen? That’s just the start! Always add a little more. Chilli paste, sesame oil, furikake, different types of peppers, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, liquid smoke, the sky’s the limit. Always put a bit of your own spin on the flavor and you’ll find it just deepens the experience.

Step #5: The weird stuff

OK so you might think this is weird but trust me, it’s delicious.

You have probably heard of adding eggs to ramen before. That’s simple. Just keep boiled eggs around and you are fine.

But what about cheese? A single slice of processed cheese will make your ramen unbelievably creamy and delicious.

Have a creamy tonkotsu ramen? Consider a dash or two of heavy cream to make it even creamier.

Some people put canned tuna in their ramen for a meaty dish.

Try crushed up jalapeno Cheetos or doritos. Seriously it works amazing well.

Try stirring in peanut butter with some lime juice and chilli paste for a thai inspired ramen.

Adding a tiny bit of butter makes any ramen packet creamy as well.

Add tomato juice and now you have makeshift tomato soup!

Add a ton of parmesean cheese and black pepper and you have a makeshift Itallian cacao e pepe.

Little bit of brown gravy and it tastes like ramen poutine!

All of these sound so weird, but trust me, I’ve tried them all and they are all delicious.

Step #6: Eat!

All of these recipes can be made with nothing but the ingredients involved, a water heater, and a bowl, and most of them can be made for less than a dollar. Who ever thought you could eat this well for less than a dollar? Not me! Normalize eating instant noodles! They are a fantastic meal that is just waiting for you to get creative with.