Deirdra Harris Glover
Managing Editor
Over the eight centuries of Japanese noodle traditions, poets have composed lines in near-reverence to its merits. Noodle makers were lauded for their handiwork. Today, noodles are still produced by hand by artisans, but the most popular noodle to come out of Japan is ramen.
Despite its prevalence and low price tag, ramen is an iconic Japanese food, with a rich history and complicated politics surrounding its preparation and presentation. George Solt, the author of “The Untold History of Ramen”, traces the dish’s cultural importance through its Chinese origins, Japanese reliance on the high-calorie dish in the lean years following World War II, to the golden age of instant ramen, the guilty pleasure of many people around the world.
Ramen also happens to be fast and easy residence hall food, but you can transform these crisp, radiator-shaped dry noodles into satisfying nutritional gold. Here are a few ways to spruce up a block of 20 cents ramen with easy-to-find ingredients.
Greens and Vegetables
Salad bar fixings can be incorporated into your bowl: pour noodles and soup over a bowl of spinach, cabbage shreds, broccoli slaw, arugula or even aromatic fresh herbs like cilantro and basil. Frozen or fresh peppers, mushrooms and green onions can also be added to a bowl, as can leftover cooked vegetables.
For those of you who rarely set foot in a kitchen, you can easily add freeze-dried vegetables during the cooking process. These are available in bulk from places like Rainbow Whole Foods (2807 Old Canton Road, Jackson). Your mom will be so proud you’re eating your vegetables.
Protein
Ramen and leftovers are a pairing made in heaven. Today’s ramen was born in an era when meat was scarce and the fried noodles kept people from going hungry, or worse. Slice leftover steak, chicken, or hardboiled eggs and lay it across the top of your soup for a fancier plated look. Boil teriyaki or sriracha-flavored jerky with your noodles for a hit of protein and extra punch.
In the final minute of cooking, whisk a whole raw egg and chicken flavored packet into the noodles and create a creamy soup that dances the line between egg drop and chicken noodle.
Frozen, cooked or canned seafood is another great option for your oriental or shrimp ramen flavors. Buy frozen small pre-cooked shrimp and heat them in the leftover water as a final touch. Use leftover salmon from date night to make a late-night snack. Tins of smoked oysters and spicy octopus are also fantastic options and breathe new life into your well-known favorite flavors.
Any combination is likely to produce good results. According to Solt, there are 19 official regional styles of ramen in Japan, and subtle variations between shops.
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