Vegetable Ramen

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Vegetable Ramen is a simple and easy-to-make meatless Monday meal all instant ramen lovers must try. (For you devout carnivores, just add your favorite meat, and you’re also ready to go!) Despite the bad press instant ramen gets about being unhealthy and generally bad for you, it is unquestionably two things: 1) tasty and 2) cheap!

I’ve come up with many innovative uses for instant ramen over the years, and this is one of them. Adding fresh vegetables and tossing the sodium and MSG-laden flavor packet makes this version of instant noodles more forgivable, right? It’s definitely a step up from my younger years when I would feel hungry coming home after school and eat the instant ramen straight out of the package. For all the people that have eaten ramen this way–you know what I’m talking about; and for all the people who haven’t–you don’t know what you’re missing!

Everyone has their own ramen brand that they like and they are readily available at the local grocery store. I remember in my younger days, they would go on sale for 6 cents a pack but even with inflation, I’d say they are still considered cheap at the price of a buck for 4 ramen packets. If budget is not the driving factor and you just like ramen noodles then go for some fresh ramen noodles at your local Asian grocery store.

I digress.

Let’s get back to how delicious this Vegetable Ramen dish is and how easy it is to make. The distinctive curly texture and flavor of instant noodles really makes this dish, and you can’t argue with the simplicity of the ingredients. In fact, I bet you have everything you need in your kitchen right now! Feel free to sub veggies in and out per your taste and what you have on hand.

Other notable recipes where vegetables are the star include Vegetable lo mein, Vegetable fried rice and garlic baby bok choy

Ingredients

• 2 packages instant noodles
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce (optional for vegetarians)
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• Fresh ground white pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• ¼ cup sweet red bell peppers or Holland chilies, julienned
• 5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 1 ½ cups shredded cabbage
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 1 cup snow peas, cut in half at an angle
• 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
• 2 scallions, split and cut into 2-inch pieces

Instructions

1. Open the instant ramen and discard the flavor packet. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for about 45 seconds to a minute, using chopsticks or a fork to stir occasionally. You want to just rehydrate the ramen until it breaks up from its rectangular form. It's important not to cook the ramen fully in this step! Once the ramen is rehydrated, immediately drain the noodles in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and get rid of the excess starch.
2. Combine soy sauces, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and white pepper in a bowl and set aside. Heat your wok over high heat, and add oil and garlic. Immediately add the peppers, mushrooms, carrots, and cabbage, and stir fry for 1 minute. Next, add the Shaoxing wine and stir-fry for another 15 seconds.
3. Next, add in the cooked noodles, pulling them apart if they are stuck together. Pour the soy sauce mixture evenly over the noodles. Stir-fry for about 20 seconds using a scooping motion until the sauce is well distributed. Add in the snow peas, bean sprouts, and scallions. Mix well for another minute and serve

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