Japanify: Instant Ramen for Drunks

Piggybacking on Yamahomo's drunk cooking post, this week's Japanify introduces techniques for making instant ramen that will please drunks. After a long, explosive night of dancing, my husband prepared Sapporo Ichiban instant ramen.

An avid eater of Sapporo Ichiban instant ramen in his native Japan, my husband was ecstatic that Sapporo Ichiban was also available in his new country of residence (America). Upon eating his first pack in California, he was appalled at that the bad noodle quality of American Sapporo Ichiban. To improve the flavor and texture of the almost inedible noodles in American Sapporo Ichiban ramen, he experimented and came to the same conclusion that the late Julia Child would come to time and again: butter. The butter coats the otherwise, low-grade noodles to possess a texture that is less spongy and also helps the noodles to have more umami.

Instant ramen sounds like a trip back to the college years, but the following introduces some additions and techniques to turn the most popular meal in dorm rooms coast-to-coast to an umami-pumped midnight indulgence for us more mature folks...



Boil water in a large pot.

Add the noodles.

Cut up leftover veggies into small pieces. We had shiitake, green onions and shiso leaves to spare.



Boil the noodles (see package for boil times).

Throw in the shiitake and green onion for the last minute or two. Add the soup packet.

Turn off the heat and add a pad of butter to the mixture. Mix well.



Plate the noodles in bowls and serve to your hungry, drunk guests.