The Perfect Hack For Deliciously Creamy Instant Ramen
Instant ramen may be cheap and convenient, but it doesn't have to be boring. There are countless recommendations online for ways to upgrade your instant ramen, from add-ins like egg, bacon, and green onion to doctoring the broth with sauces like hoisin and sriracha. One key quality that instant ramen typically lacks is the creaminess of a long-simmered ramen broth. Usually, instant ramen broth is made from bouillon and other powdered spices, resulting in a thin and basic broth without much depth of flavor (unless you're paying extra for upscale instant ramen).
There's a simple ingredient to help boost that broth texture and flavor that you might already have in your cabinet: coconut milk! Mix a few tablespoons into your instant ramen and you'll have a deliciously creamy result in just seconds. With a mild, slightly sweet flavor, coconut milk pairs well with just about every ramen variety, and especially mixes nicely with spicy ramen to provide a cooling effect to offset the heat.
Get creative with coconut milk
Incorporating coconut milk into your instant ramen can be as simple as adding in a few spoonfuls to your taste and calling it a day. But you can also go the extra mile with some additional ingredients to really take a basic ramen packet to the next level. Coconut curry ramen is a great place to start. If you have some curry paste, fry a tablespoon or so in hot oil. Then whisk in ½ can of coconut milk and 2 cups of chicken stock and let it simmer until creamy. Cook a block of instant ramen noodles to your preferred doneness, then drain it and add to the coconut milk mixture. Finally, top the dish with freshly chopped green onion and (optionally) cilantro. A drizzle of fish sauce into the broth goes a long way as well, if you have it on hand.
You can also use coconut milk to make delicious peanut noodles out of your ramen. Cook your noodles in a mix of coconut milk and water. Once finished, drain and then mix with 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Finally, combine with a sauce made from peanut butter, chili paste or red pepper flakes, soy sauce, and a few tablespoons of water (to your preferred consistency).
Other ramen hacks for deliciously creamy broth
Don't have coconut milk on hand? There are other ways to beef up instant ramen broth with creamy texture. Add a small pat of butter to the top of your ramen and mix it into the broth. Butter is full of fat and milk proteins, which mix in with the broth to add an extra layer of flavor and additional body. A little goes a long way!
Adding a poached or soft-boiled egg on top of your ramen can also add big flavor and creamy texture, especially when mixing the runny egg yolk into the broth. It may take a few extra minutes to cook an egg, but that time is worth it for the rich yolkiness that an egg adds. If you're eating cup ramen, you can even crack the raw egg directly into the cup — then cover with boiling water, seal tightly, and let cook for a few extra minutes so that the egg sets before eating.