Eat Your Next Bowl Of Instant Ramen Cold And Thank Us Later
Having a bowl of cold noodles may sound strange to those outside of East Asian regions, where there is a history of consuming chilled dishes on hot days. Take the Korean naeng-myeon, for example. According to "Dongguksesigi", a 19th-century book recording traditional customs of Korea, this style of chilled buckwheat noodles and broth has been around for more than a hundred years, at least!
Japanese restaurants commonly serve cold soba (buckwheat noodles) or cold somen (thin wheat noodles) with delicately flavorful dashi broth for diners to dip their noodles in. But what about cold ramen? Or specifically, cold instant ramen?
While there isn't exactly a long and storied tradition of consuming cold instant ramen, it's a quick and delicious substitute for the starch component in dishes like pasta salads or noodle salads. It's especially welcome on hot summer days, when turning the stove on for longer than five minutes can make the kitchen feel almost unbearably warm.
How to make a bowl of cold ramen
You could cook the instant ramen noodles, drain the water, and dress it with the included flavor packet as the most basic iteration of this concept. But to have a more substantial and satisfying meal, we have some ideas for you!
The easiest way forward is to think of cold ramen as a version of aforementioned pasta salad. What are the added elements that make a delicious pasta salad? Vegetables, protein, and some form of dressing is usually the case. Something crunchy and/or zingy plus something smooth and/or creamy are the main textures and flavors that get mixed in.
Quick-pickled vegetables (along with the brine!) with some tender protein like tofu or mushrooms are fantastic add-ins for a cold ramen lunch in the park. Broccoli steamed in the microwave mixed with chopped rotisserie chicken and creamy sesame dressing is perfect to combine with cold ramen for the occasionally inevitable lunch al desko.
More cold noodle ideas
You can also think of mixing cold ramen with salad dressing, which is already a handy hack for pasta sauce. Lighter dressings like vinaigrettes work well in this application as it complements the springiness of ramen noodles. French vinaigrette tossed with tomatoes is a fantastic combo, as is red wine vinegar dressing with shaved cabbage and carrots. That's a lot of flavor for a lot less work!
For even more cold noodle ideas, take inspiration from already existing cold noodle dishes of East Asia. Combine spicy chilli oil or sauce with cold noodles like in Sichuan-style cold noodles or Korean bibim guksu, and you'll be able to sweat out the heat and cool down your body at the same time. Chilled meat broths can be poured over the noodles like in aforementioned nangmyeon, giving a new experience of summer eating for some of us.
Go forth and make yourself a bowl of cold instant ramen! Just remember to always consider the cohesive combination of both flavors and textures, and you'll have a deliciously cool summertime meal.