Ramen is a Japanese dish that is made with wheat noodles and is eaten with a flavorful broth. It has many variations in which you can add vegetables and meats. It is interesting to know that the preparation is considered an art in Japan, which also takes skill and time to prepare.
Luckily, ramen is available in instant form, especially if you don’t possess culinary skills. You can find a lot of these instant ramen noodles in most food stores. While the proper preparation of ramen is through the use of a saucepan, it can also be prepared using the convenience of a microwave.
In this article, I am going to talk about the different ways on how to microwave ramen. I hope I will be able to give you some enlightenment on how to prepare this flavorful dish in an instant. With the basic cooking knowledge and the complete materials you will need, you can do this task a lot easier.
What You Will Need to Follow This Tutorial
In order to microwave ramen successfully, you will need the following materials:
- Microwave
- Water
- Noodles
- Seasoning
- Gloves
- Oven Mitts
- Meat
- Vegetables
- Egg
- Microwave oven-safe bowl
- Measuring cup
- Spoon and fork
- Lid
Instructions on How to Microwave Ramen
Before you start, make sure you wash your hands first before doing the following steps. As you are now handling food, it is mandatory that you observe cleanliness and proper food handling.
Here is what you need to follow if you have packaged ramen:
- Prepare all the required materials.
- Remove the instant noodles from the package. You may break up the noodles into smaller pieces while the bag is still sealed. This would make shorter soup-like noodles that will be easier to eat using a spoon. Others however, choose to leave the noodles as is. It really is up to you on how you want it prepared.
- Place the noodles into a microwave oven-safe bowl and submerge with water. Normally, this would require between a cup or two of water and is dependent on the size of the bowl, as well as the amount of broth you want.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or a small piece of paper towel to prevent making a mess. This would also be useful if you want to save time from cleaning the microwave oven’s interior after you are done with it.
- One thing to make sure of is that the microwave should be able to withstand the microwave’s heat for several minutes. You have to refrain from using plastic containers and Styrofoam as toxins may leech into the ramen during the microwaving process.
- Plug the microwave oven on and heat your ramen for about three to five minutes. Position your bowl at the center of the glass tray and set the timer.
- Keep in mind that time may vary, as there are different models of microwave ovens. Be sure to set the heat level appropriately before starting the microwaving process.
- In order to prevent overcooking of noodles, you may choose to stop the timer for a second to check the noodles using a fork. You can just press on it very lightly or you can flip the whole brick if you want to keep it whole.
- Let the noodles sit for three minutes after the timer stops. You must not take the bowl out right away. This way, you can prevent your fingers and mouth from being burned. However, if you want to take them out immediately after the timer stops, remember to use oven mitts.
- Add the flavor included in the packet while the ramen is still hot.
- Stir the noodles with a spoon until the flavoring dissolves. You may choose to transfer the content into another bowl if you want to.
- Take the necessary cleaning procedure after you are done using the microwave oven.
Alternatively, some ramen enthusiasts choose to add the flavoring before cooking the noodles in the microwave. To do this, you may pour all the contents into a microwave oven-safe bowl, add water, and then cook it in the microwave.
Another way to cook ramen is to boil water separately. Here’s how to do it:
- Pour two cups of water into a microwave oven-safe container. You can boil this water separately and add it to the noodles after. This would be perfect especially if you want your noodles firmer.
- Microwave for at least two to three minutes. Due to the microwaves mechanisms, you might not see the water boiling or steaming compared to when you boil water from the stove. When you are sure that the water is hot enough, take it out of the microwave oven using an oven mitt or gloves.
- Remove the noodles from the package and place them into a separate bowl. You can do this step while you are still microwaving the water.
- You may choose to add the flavoring now or save it until the noodles are cooked.
- Once you have your boiling water from the microwave, pour it over the noodles.
- Cover the bowl with a lid, a plate, or a paper towel.
- Let the noodles cook for at least three to five minutes.
- Remove the cover and stir thoroughly.
You may also choose to cook ramen in a microwave with add-ons and other condiments. Here are some of the suggestions you might want to consider:
- Microwave the noodles with two to three cups of water for about three to five minutes.
- Once it’s cooked, take it out of the oven using gloves so you can add flavor and other ingredients.
- Instead of using the flavor packet, you may choose to make your own seasoning. There are a lot of cheap and easy options available in the supermarket that allows you to make flavorful seasoning to add to your noodles.
- You may choose miso paste, rice vinegar, red chili paste, soy sauce, honey, basil, and green onions, among others.
- You may also add vegetables such as spinach, basil leaves, and cabbage.
- Before cooking the noodles, you may consider adding celery, garlic, carrots or onions to the broth. Frozen peas also work fine to add texture and flavor.
- You may also choose to add these vegetables after the noodles are cooked.
- Adding eggs with spice your ramen up. You can either drop the raw egg into the bowl or have it hard-boiled.
- If you want meat added, you may choose to add these ingredients first before microwaving the noodles.
Pro Tips
If you want to add flavorful variations into your ramen, follow these pro tips.
- You can check various sources online to know more about other ingredients you can add to your ramen. Aside from the seasoning, there are also a lot of cheap options that you can add to make your ramen more flavorful and delicious.
- Two to three cups of water is only estimation. The amount of water should depend on how much soup you want for your ramen.
- Microwaving the ramen on high should make the best out of your ramen. It also is a way to speed up the cooking process. More heat is equivalent to less time in preparation.
- It is advisable to check the firmness of the noodles halfway through the microwaving process. By doing this, you can achieve the firmness you want for your noodles.
- It is also advisable to let the ramen cool for a few minutes after taking it out of the microwave. This would help in keeping your mouth safe from too much heat from the now cooked ramen.
Conclusion
By now it should be clear for you on how to microwave ramen. This task is very easy as long as you have the necessary ingredients and the materials. Ramen is best served hot but proper precaution is vital while handling hot objects, as well as food. There are also sources you can find online about ingredients that will make your ramen more delicious.
