(Ramen) Is it just me...

[5-90]

Or are there nowhere near as many flavours as there used to be, and the good ones are gone?

I really miss the old curry-flavoured ramen that you used to be able to get (back when they were about six cents each...) but I checked at Maruchan and Nissin (Top Ramen brand) and they only seem to have about six flavours each. Used to be a couple dozen or so betwixt them, as I recall.

Some of us like variety!

Good ol' ramen - staple food of college freshmen and enlisted bachelor personnel. Often, I'll break one out and crush it into bite-size chunks, and eat it like popcorn! You can be creative with the stuff as well, which is what's good about it (cheap food - dice a weenie or two, cook up a ramen or two, add some Tabasco or some other hot sauce, cut out about a third of the water. Not much of a meal, but it keeps you going!)

Anyone know where I can find a variety of the stuff? Grocery stores around here usually have chicken and beef only (and California can't do anything spicy right...)

 

[bluejeepkid]

when i was poor-

beef ramen(cooked), refried beans, sour cream in a tortilla, when i was lucky enough to have sour cream lol

 

[johnnyc]

Go to an Asian market. They have some really spicy ones. They cost a little more, but they are bigger and better.

 

[Original_MudButt]

What's the sodium content of those things?? Isn't it like %3000 of your RDA?

 

[old_man]

What's the sodium content of those things?? Isn't it like %3000 of your RDA?

And your question is?

 

[5-90]

What's the sodium content of those things?? Isn't it like %3000 of your RDA?

Probably. But sometimes, ya just gotta!

Considering I've effectively cut added salt out of my diet years ago, that's probably why I get a craving for actually cooking the stuff every now and again (vice just munching on it, which massively lowers the Na content...)

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

What's the sodium content of those things?? Isn't it like %3000 of your RDA?

Healthy food = $$$ witch is why poor people are fat..

:shhh:

 

[5-90]

Healthy food = $$$ witch is why poor people are fat..

:shhh:

Also very true. If everyone wants us to eat healthier, why is it healthier food always costs so much more than crappola? Counterproductive, y'ask me...

 

[whatevah]

I can't even find the Top Ramen stuff anymore, the 2 local places switched to only Maruchan which I don't like as much. And I've noticed the flavor options decrease, too.

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

While we are on the subject of this very cheap menu item, alot of people like to "add" stuff to Top ramen.. What do you guys add?

For me.. Cheese..

you?

 

[5-90]

While we are on the subject of this very cheap menu item, alot of people like to "add" stuff to Top ramen.. What do you guys add?

For me.. Cheese..

you?

Drain well after cooking, add cheap cheese. Cheap-O mac & cheese!

Dice up old beef, saute, freeze in small portions. Thaw (I usually freeze several, get out one or two a week) and add when you dunp the noodles into the water to cook.

Dice up chicken & pan-fry, handle as above. I do this all the time for my wife.

If you're worried about salt and usually eat the stuff in beef or chicken, you can get low-sodium bullion that works as well as the flavour packet that comes with the brick. One cube per packet of ramen.

Cheap eats? Dice up a weenie and throw it in - no need to cook. Bulks up the stuff, and give you some variety of meat (Ball Park works particularly well.)

Bologna also works fairly well.

I've been known to add small shrimp (cooked or not) to the shrimp or oriental flavoured ramen.

If you have a reasonably large Latino population, you can probably find something similar to bullion cubes - but chipotle flavoured. (Cazadores, I think they're called.) One cube to two soups gives a nice little kick, and it goes with most flavours. I think they run a bit less than two bucks for a small box - a small box of them lasts a little while (I take them out of the box & baggie and put them in a small container with a tight-fitting lid - keeps them from going stale.)

I usually cut the water in about half - strengthens the flavour (after eating the noodles I'll drink the broth anyhow, but I happen to enjoy spicy foods!)

Summer sausage can also work well - but pepperoni or salami does not (too greasy.)

I know many people add veggies to their ramen as well, but I don't. I'm a carnivore - "Vegetables are what food eats." (My daughter-in-law has a problem with this, but I tell her that it's my health not hers. I notice that, except for the vegetarian/vegan lunatic fringe, women seem to eat rather more in the way of veggies than men do anyhow.

(Besides, on mum's side of the family, most of the men tend toward being carnivorous. Dad's side as well - so I got a double dose...)

 

[DrexelSpivey]

I love the Spicy vegetable flavor, Asian markets still carry it.

 

[westvirginia24976]

Just ran across this article and thought I'd post a link.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/on-a-budget-5-ways-to-eat-ramen-for-dinner-2508159/

 

[snail]

chicken flavor ramen with fajita seasoning added. nuff said

 

[Johnnie Walker]

Raw noodles crushed up, mixed with seasoning, cornnuts, and whatever else = good snack.
A friend of mine does a good mix with this stuff. noodles/seasoning, cooked scrambled eggs, seaweed, shredded cheese, veggies of your choice. etc.

 

[GRIMUS99XJ]

Ok so im gonna try to remember this correctly as its been many years since ive seen it made.

Background story: From age 18 to 22 I worked for the dept of corrections and while working in Max security I watched many of inmates make this and decided to try it and wow its was pretty damn good so I made it at home a few times haha (I was seriously broke back then)

Prison Pizza
ingredients:

2 packs beef ramen crushed
1 regular sized bag of potato chips
1 small stick summer suasage
4 slices of american cheese

prep:

cooked ramen noodles till just about tender drain dry and season
crush entire bag of chips, open and set to the side
Cut summer sausage into bite size pieces
unwrap cheese

take the cooked ramen, summer sausage and dump into bag with chips shake and mix well
lay the bag of chips on flat surface and spread mix evenly throughout the bag

let sit for about 3 minutes open bag and lay the cheese slices on top let melt.

Should slice into pieces like a pizza hahah sounds awful but is great or at least it was years ago.

 

[.40CalPatriot]

x4 or whatever on Asian markets. The one I go to has an entire aisle of just Ramen soup.

 

[Jays siik xj]

Ill never eat that stuff again! 4 months in County ruined it for me! hahaha

 

[Onetype]

Ok so im gonna try to remember this correctly as its been many years since ive seen it made.

Background story: From age 18 to 22 I worked for the dept of corrections and while working in Max security I watched many of inmates make this and decided to try it and wow its was pretty damn good so I made it at home a few times haha (I was seriously broke back then)

Prison Pizza
ingredients:

2 packs beef ramen crushed
1 regular sized bag of potato chips
1 small stick summer suasage
4 slices of american cheese

prep:

cooked ramen noodles till just about tender drain dry and season
crush entire bag of chips, open and set to the side
Cut summer sausage into bite size pieces
unwrap cheese

take the cooked ramen, summer sausage and dump into bag with chips shake and mix well
lay the bag of chips on flat surface and spread mix evenly throughout the bag

let sit for about 3 minutes open bag and lay the cheese slices on top let melt.

Should slice into pieces like a pizza hahah sounds awful but is great or at least it was years ago.

I had a short stay in tdc when I was younger, we used to make huge pizzas in trash bags. Cant forget the pickles though. We had refried beans that we put in with the crushed up cheese puffs( helps stick everything together hence why its called a pizza). Made queso out of cheese puffs and hot water as a topping too. You can put a chili pack on top or tuna too whichever you prefer. IMO chili is the best flavor there is, I still eat one every now and then. Most of my friends have never done time so when I tell them about stuff we cooked they're real curious. Made one to show one of them.

 

[RTFM]

We had a thread here recently (with in a year) of Ramen recipe.
Was fun to read.