Instant ramen may be the perfect cheap food. It’s good by itself, but there’s always creative ways to transform it into something better. My favorite thing to do is to crack an egg into the pot while my ramen is cooking.
I started doing this after delicious Korean spicy soft tofu stew, or soondubu jjigae (순두부 찌개), became a regular meal in my dining out rotation. When they bring you the stew, bubbling hot, it always comes with a raw egg for you to crack open and drop in, which adds an extra layer of flavor and richness to the dish. It’s so tasty, it got me thinking of other foods that could benefit from the same concept.
When it comes to ramen, I sometimes add a homemade soy sauce seasoned soft-boiled egg, or shoyu tamago, to my bowl, but I wanted the delicate creaminess of eggs in soondubu jjigae. So I thought why not do the exact same thing with my ramen at home?
How to poach an egg in instant ramen
I put on a small pot of water to boil.I add the ramen seasoning to the water. I also might add a pinch of Better than Bouillon.
I add the noodles, then reduce to a simmer.
Once the noodles soften slightly, I create a small opening in the middle of the entangled brick of ramen, then crack an egg right into it. This acts as a cradle for the egg so it doesn’t instantly fall apart in your broth.
I add any other extras I’d like, like vegetables or sliced meats.I bring the heat back up for a few moments to let the egg poach, then simmer another minute or two so the noodles can finish up softening.
G/O Media may get a commission
And that’s it! I pour the whole thing into a bowl and dig in. A quick poke of the egg with your chop sticks or fork will send that creamy, runny yolk out into the broth. Give it a try.
This story was originally published in June 2018 and was updated on June 15, 2021 to meet Lifehacker style guidelines.
