There are many ways to enjoy your instant ramen dish, but how do you go about it? Does adding toppings make it better? You can try different methods for upgrading your instant ramen. For example, use leftovers in your kitchen because they’re inexpensive and will allow you to experiment without spending money on an upgrade that might not work out for you. Also, you can try some of the best instant ramen options online to see how it tastes. However, if you have to use plain instant ramen, below are the ways to upgrade it.
6 Ways To Upgrade Your Instant Ramen:
1. Add aromatics
Aromatics always upgrade any dish as they bring in the flavor. You can add ginger, fresh garlic, or green onion. These are affordable spices, and most people have them at home. So it’s easy to try them out for your ramen dish upgrade. Plus, fresh ginger is a great way to give your soup some medicinal quality, especially if you live in harsh weather conditions. A great way to get the full flavors is by sautéing both the garlic and ginger in some oil for a minute before you add your broth. You can add the green onion over the top at the end.
2. Add vegetables
If you have not tried a bowl of ramen with various vegetables, you are missing out on a fun and useful ramen dish upgrade. Get the vegetables from your fridge that you need to use for creating this dish. For instance, you can use bell peppers, carrots, cabbage, mushrooms or add frozen vegetables like peas, broccoli florets, or corn. If you do not like all the vegetables mix up, choose two of your favorite vegetable, and for protein, you can toss in some tofu. Lastly, you can add some spices for a tangy flavor.
3. Use the broth
Whatever kind of broth you prefer, it is best to use it instead of those in the flavoring packet. This is a great way to upgrade your instant ramen as it will have tastes that you like and are familiar with. You can try using the chicken, vegetable, or homemade bone broth, whichever you see fit for the dish. To make this broth, blend well with your ramen, do half broth, half water. This will keep the salt down as you can control it with other ingredients.
4. Sauce it
If you have various sauces in your fridge that you have not used up, then it is time to use them to upgrade your instant ramen. Stir some chili garlic sauce, sambal, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, and any other that you have into your broth for that amazing flavor. Well, choose sauces you feel can blend well together or you like their taste together. Alternatively, you can add the sauces to your finished bowl as a type of table seasoning. Notably, keep in mind that adding sauces will increase the salt level. Consider this as you choose your broth.
5. Add a protein
Most people love adding an egg to their instant ramen not because it’s their favorite protein, but because they always have them at home, and it’s easy. Also, you can cook the egg separately and add it to the finished bowl, or you can crack the raw egg to the simmering broth and in low heat, let it cook for a few minutes. Other protein options you can try out include rotisserie chicken, tofu cubes, pulled pork, sluiced tempeh, shrimp, among others.
6. Top it off
Another way you can upgrade your instant ramen is by going wild. Choose various fun goodies to top off your instant ramen and give your bowl color, flavor, and texture. Some ideas to top it off that you can try are using kimchi, sesame seeds, crumbled bacon, butter, nori, a wedge of lime, crushed chilies, and fresh herbs such as Thai basil, cilantro, and chives.
To sum up, the above-mentioned ways will help you spice up and upgrade your instant ramen noodle dish. These are simple and inexpensive additives that will turn your bowl into an epic dish. So, next time you feel your ramen noodles are plain and need some upgrade, try some of the above tips and enjoy your ramen dish.
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Fallon Chan is a food and lifestyle photographer and blogger.
