Posted on 03/09/2010 7:56:04 AM PST by JoeProBono
Ramen noodles have the reputation as being a "poor college kid's" cuisine, right along with boxes of mac 'n' cheese and cases of Huber beer, but the reality of the dirt-cheap Asian pasta is that they are easily upgraded to an A+ dish.
Ramen noodles cost between 25 and 50 cents per package and come in a variety of flavors, including beef, chicken, shrimp and the elusive "Oriental" flavor.
Unfortunately, ramen is not a perfect food. It's high in carbs and low in vitamins and minerals. To remove the water and form them into blocks, ramen is deep fried in palm oil, which is extremely high in saturated fat. Plus, if the packet is added, the dish is suddenly super high in sodium (about 150 milligrams).
However, adding healthy ingredients redeems ramen, and most likely, a few items in your fridge or a quick trip to the grocery store will fancy up your meal.
While food prices continue to rise, revisiting ramen is fun and frugal, so OnMilwaukee.com consulted local chefs, restaurant owners and foodies to find out how to take ramen to the next level.
"There are a million and one things to do with ramen," says Ross Bachhuber, executive chef for the Diablos Rojos Group. "It's a really versatile noodle and can be jazzed up by almost anything."
Bachhuber, who creates cuisine at Cafe Centraal, 2306 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Cafe Hollander, 2608 N. Downer Ave., and Trocadero, 1758 N. Water St., suggests a variety of ingredients.
"First, throw the seasoning packet away," he says. "Then, pick up some fresh ingredients like scallions, ginger, garlic, fresh chilies, limes, cilantro, thai basil, sprouts, cucumber, snap peas, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, spinach and tofu. Pretty much anything you would want in a great stir fry or salad."
When Bachhuber was in chef school he says he experimented with ramen recipes.
"I remember whisking together Dijon mustard, a splash of Worcestershire, a splash of Tabasco, steamy cooked ramen noodles, a splash of vodka and some hot Campbell's tomato soup to create a bloody mary ramen," he says. "Garnished with a pickle. Who could ask for a healthier, more well-balanced meal?"
Nick Burki is the new co-owner of Coquette Cafe, 316 N. Milwaukee St., and he admits to occasionally indulging in ramen.
"I get slightly naughty with a little miso, edamame, shiitake mushrooms, scallions, bok choy and some grilled salmon," says Burki, whose experience includes The Social and Cafe Calatrava at the Milwaukee Art Museum. "Or, a little ramen with braised pork belly, littleneck clams, sweet corn and potato."
Kyle Cherek, the host of the CBS television show, "Wisconsin Foodie," says that ramen noodles, although originally from China, were popularized by the Japanese. ("Ramen" is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters "lo mein" which means "boiled noodles.")
"In a way, ramen noodles has a rags to riches story," says Cherek. "It's a centuries-old Chinese dish that, as of late, has been exalted through the likes of (chef) David Chang and his culinary denizens."
Milwaukee's Elaine Litzau spends time in her kitchen perfecting ramen-based recipes. And she is no spice packet snob.
"I put a green vegetable like broccoli, green beans, frozen peas, chinese cabbage in the water with the noodle block on top. When the water starts to boil, I push the noodles under the water, beneath the vegetables, then break the noodles up. Then, I add the spice packet," she says.
"When that is all mixed in, I crack an egg into the pot and stir it up. Sometimes, if I have it, I add leftover chicken or pork into the mix, too."
Litzau, whose mother is from Japan, says she considers ramen a comfort food.....
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I never thought of that, and I think I will try it. Thanks for the tip.
What planet is this guy on, that he thinks college students are going to do all that?
Yum.
Charming! :-)
Huber? , mine was Texas Pride-aka- cow p#ss
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