Sunday, September 8, 2013

JGE 4 – Jim’s Gotta Eat – The Dreaded Ramen Noodle Pack

Good Day,

The dreaded Ramen noodle pack is my got-to-get-done supper when I haven't got a clue as to what I want for supper or I am running too late to prepare a meal.  It is also a good supper whenever or when I am eating late at night.  Obviously, it's easy to prepare and the instructions are right on the package. But before I start, I'm not talking about Cup of Noodles. You know that Styrofoam cup with the dehydrated stuff that requires boiling water and then it sort of expands.  And it still tastes like...

I'm talking about packages of dried noodles that are available in all types of weird and wonderful concoctions. These quick noodles are readily on the shelves at local Asian grocery stores. The regular grocery stores, like Publix, seem to stock just the very few brands that certainly doesn't allow for too much tweaking of the imagination.

Well I just found out that the Ramen or instant noodle was somehow invented in 1958, and of course I'm wondering if that may be the actual age of some of the noodles and ingredient pouches that are included in the packages. And would you believe, that in Japan in the city of Yokohama, there is a Ramen Noodle Museum.


Well, on this particular evening I finished my volunteer work and when I got home I went to the pantry to look for a Ramen noodle package. Well, this is one of the ones I found. The only English words on the package were "INSTANT NOODLE". Hell, I couldn't make heads or tails of what was on or in the pacakge, but sure enough there was a disk of dried noodles and three of what I guess were flavor and add-on pouches.  At least a very simplistic set of English instructions were on the package.


Instructions were: 1. Add pouches to 500 mL of water; 2. Boil; 3. Add noodles; 4. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes; 5. Serve.  Like I said, the instructions do not require a post–doctorate theoretical research aptitude.

For all intents and purposes you eat one Ramen noodle package you have tasted them all. So here's where I go to work with the most minimum effort. I immediately think of what I can add to enhance the flavor and provide some sort of entertainment of taste to my tongue and stomach. Is there something in my kitchen that I can add?

Well, instead of water, I substitute chicken broth. And I find a zucchini, some green onions, and a red chili pepper in the refrigerator. Oh yes, there is a toasted sesame seed container in the pantry.

I followed instructions from the package and at that point just after where I add noodles to the boiling broth and where I turned down the heat to simmer, I add chopped zucchini, chopped green onion, and chopped chili pepper.



I let the noodle concoction simmer for 4 minutes and then dump everything into a noodle bowl. I sprinkle the top with the toasted sesame seeds and supper is served. Damn the red chili peppers are hot. My sinuses clear up.


As you can see the noodle bowl supper is only as limited as your imagination, and as long as it is edible, you can be as gastronomically creative as you want.

Oh and yeah, my blood sugar count is turning downward in a positive direction.

Enjoy.


Jim

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