Cole Longcor
cwl002@marietta.edu
Across all campuses, a trope for undergrad life itself, the simple grandeur of instant noodles. Whether in between classes on Tuesday or late after a Friday night on the town, the sound of the microwave timer and smell of powdered broth promises to alleviate your hunger without breaking the bank. However, questions arise. How many times can you eat instant noodles? What are some ways to increase the nutrition in a bowl of fried noodles and salty broth? Are there inexpensive and easy ways to spice up a such a simple dish?
The answer to all such quandaries of dormitory dining is yes!
Like the noodles themselves there are lots of options that are shelf-stable and easy to keep around in dorm rooms. Spices and condiments add big kicks of flavor with just a little addition, they also tend to be relatively affordable. Some of these magical elixirs are readily available; you can go into your nearby store and find ginger, lemongrass, soy sauce, and Chinese five spice.
With the expansion of Asian food into American culture ingredients that once were rare can now be found in international isles of supermarkets. Chile and sesame oils are great to keep on hand as they can be used as condiments or for cooking other ingredients. Miso paste is shelf stable, often called Asian peanut butter it is a pantry staple that can be added to many a dish. Nori, or seaweed, is a great addition as it adds umami , the sense of savoriness, and in its dried and roasted form can always be kept around.
The important thing is to explore and play with spices and condiments. Be creative. Spend time in the international isle, or even better a specialty market. Try different combinations. Add citrus to soy sauce to make homemade ponzu. There truly is no limit.
If working to add flavor, why not improve the nutrition of the meal as well? Produce, while not as easy to keep on hand, is highly cost effective. There are some canned vegetables that won’t go bad but are often bulky and take up space. Bean sprouts, baby corn, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots are all easy ways to add crunch and freshness to any noodle dish. Any greens, especially cabbage, work well. Carrots, radishes, and other vegetables can be used cooked or raw in many dishes. Mushrooms add great depth to broths and can vary greatly in texture. Herbs are amazing additions, but in their fresh form they can go bad quite quickly, so it is easier to use dried versions or sauces and spices that contain them.
Like miso, kimchi is now not only popular in the US, but also in most large groceries. It can be used as a garnish, served cooked or cold, and adds spice, salt, umami, and nutrition to anything it touches. Since a jar of kimchi can be kept in your fridge for a while there is no reason not to keep it around.
Meats are great boosters to ramen, both in terms of flavor and protein. Of course, these can be frozen, making storage easy. With a little planning you can marinate or add dry rubs to your protein of choice with all the spices and sauces you now have on hand. Think about your favorite take out orders. Teriyaki chicken, beef and broccoli with ginger, the list goes on and on. Everyone has a favorite order that comes in those glorious white carboard containers. Eating out can be expensive though, but with a little planning you can easily add some of those flavors into your dorm room ramen.
Marinate some chicken in teriyaki sauce while you’re going to classes. By the time you’re ready to cook dinner it will be flavorful. When next in the store look for packs of meat that are on sale, then you can bag them into smaller portions and have a bunch of meals ready to go You can have beef fajitas, steak sandwiches, and best of all gingered beef over ramen for the effort of filling some freezer bags. Another great trick is to play with all those spices and condiments you now have. Miso makes a great glaze, try mixing miso and butter and basting pork or chicken. It’s addictive and simple.
What to add first, the chicken or the egg? Eggs are incredible additions. They are cheap, easy to keep on hand, cook quickly, and have a wide range of preparations. There’s a reason every cuisine has an egg dish. Adding eggs to ramen is just a matter of knowing how you like your eggs cooked. An over-easy egg takes very little time to cook, making it a great weeknight ramen addition. Soft boiled “ramen” eggs cook in 6 minutes and look like they belong in a Studio Ghibli movie. You can also make an egg drop broth by adding an egg and some corn-starch slurry to your ramen broth. Feeling adventurous, try marinating a peeled boiled egg in soy sauce or miso overnight in the fridge.
Some days just aren’t inclined to be soup days. Maybe it’s hot outside, maybe you’re just tired of eating ramen. Time to think beyond the bowl! With a little work you can make easy stir-fry dishes or even cold sesame noodles.
Ditch the broth packet and boil the noodles in plain water. Sautee any meat or vegetables you want, add the noodles to the pan, and mix in any spices or sauces you want. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
For cold sesame noodles first cook and chill the noodles. Mix peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, and spices or chile oil if you want some heat. Add any herbs or vegetables you want. Top with sesame seeds or crushed peanuts and you have a great summertime noodle bowl.
If dinnertime seems uninspiring or having a nice dish seems expensive remember these tips Be adventurous! Go out and try new ingredients or check out the international isle. With a little preparation and planning you can greatly improve your cooking skills. The only limit is your creativity when it comes to dormitory cooking.
Cold Sesame Noodles Recipe
1 Packet of Ramen Noodles (left over spaghetti also works)
4 Tbs Peanut Butter (can substitute sunflower or other nut/seed butters for allergies)
1 Tbs Soy Sauce
1 tps Rice Wine Vinegar (or other vinegar)
1 tps sesame oil
1 tps chile oil or chile flakes (optional)
½ cup of vegetables (shredded carrot, slices radish, julienned cucumber, bean sprouts, etc.)
- Cook ramen in water, do not use the spice/broth packet
- Once the noodles are done coat with the sesame oil and let cool
- Mix the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, and chile oil.
- Finely cut the vegetables, carrot, radish, cucumber, bean sprouts, and scallions all work well
- Toss the vegetables into the noodles
- Pour the peanut butter sauce over the dish
For garnishes try crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, extra chilies, cilantro, scallions
