Cook an Egg Directly in an Instant Ramen
Instant ramen can be the perfect cheap meal. This is fine in and of itself, but there are always creative ways to transform it into something better . My favorite activity is to break an egg into a saucepan while the ramen is making.
I started doing this after the delicious Korean spicy soft tofu stew, or soon dubu jjigae (순두부 찌개), became a regular dish in my restaurant change. When they bring you a hot-boiled stew, it always comes with a raw egg for you to open and toss in, which adds extra flavor and richness to the dish. It’s so delicious that it got me thinking about other foods that could use the same concept.
When it comes to ramen, I sometimes add a homemade soft-boiled egg flavored with soy sauce or shoyu tamago to my bowl, but I wanted the delicate creaminess of the eggs in the sundubu jigae. I thought, why not do the same with my ramen at home?
How to make an egg in instant ramen
- I put the water in a small saucepan until it boils.
- Add ramen seasoning to the water. I can also add a pinch of Better than Broth.
- I add the noodles, then reduce to a simmer.
- Once the noodles have softened a little, I make a small hole in the middle of the intertwined brick of the ramen and then break the egg into it. It acts like a cradle for the egg so it won’t fall apart in the broth instantly.
- I add any other additives I want, like vegetables or cold cuts.
- I turn the heat up again for a few seconds to poached the egg, then simmer for another minute or two so that the noodles have time to soften.
And it’s all! I pour it all into a bowl and bury it. A quick push of the egg with chopsticks or a fork will send that creamy, runny yolk into the broth. Try it.
This story was originally published in June 2018 and was updated on June 15, 2021 to follow the Lifehacker style guidelines.