Ramen noodles are so popular that they’ve become one reason to visit Japan
TOKYO — Ramen noodles are so popular they have become one reason to visit Japan. But ramen can easily be cooked at home too, especially if you can find the ingredients at your neighborhood Asian grocery store.
A Japanese cookbook author who goes by one name, Rii, believes food should be more than delicious — it must be easy to make.
Her book, “Lunches Children Love,” is about making cute bento lunches filled with laughing faces and animals made out of food. And she shares recipes for adults on her Instagram account (only in Japanese), including healthy vegetarian rice gruel and curry.
Rii shared this ramen recipe with The Associated Press. It uses packaged noodles, since making ramen noodles from scratch is a long and complicated process.
Start to finish: 20 minutes
Servings: 5
INGREDIENTS:
Five packages ramen noodles (120 grams or about 4 ounces each)
7.5 cups water
Half a cup soy sauce
5 tablespoons Japanese mentsuyu soup base sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons chicken soup stock
3 tablespoons chicken oil
1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
Some grated garlic and grated sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
Boil the water in a large pot. Add the sauces and other ingredients to the boiling water. Then add the noodles and cook until tender. Add your favorite toppings, such as chopped green onions, canned or packaged “menma” bamboo shoots and a sliced boiled egg. Serve in a bowl.