Finish Off Your Ramen With a Drop of Aromatic Oil
Whether you’re making your own noodles or making instant food pouches, there are seemingly endless ways to make ramen. I usually throw in handfuls of corn, either frozen or pickled , but last night, about to put it in the tire bowl, I impulsively grabbed the bottle of onion oil I made earlier and drizzled it over the hot snacks.
It fell apart as it danced around the bowl and mixed with the noodles, egg in soy sauce and corn, adding richness and a hint of fried onion (I could smell the onion ring). It also made the instant noodles a little more like a specialty dish rather than a last-minute dinner. And it all took one second.
You can finish your ramen with any oil you like. For a dark, toasted taste, roasted sesame oil is a good choice. For warmth, drizzle with some chili oil or chili chips (store-bought or homemade ). Crispy chili has the added benefit of adding texture to the bowl, and soup always benefits from a little crunch.
You can make your own finishing oil by sautéing some onions or sautéing some garlic . (Bonus: You’ll have sweet, tender onions and crunchy garlic chips to further decorate your noodles.) Do you have a dried, shriveled piece of ginger? Pour the screaming hot oil over his minced lifeless body to make ginger oil (and spice it up with a little monosodium glutamate).
Don’t be afraid to use solid fat, especially one with a strong flavor. Are bacon fat or chicken schmaltz considered finishing oils? I don’t see why not. While they may not drizzle at room temperature, you can’t tell me that a tiny spoonful of rendered pork or bird fat, melted down and mixed with noodles and vegetables, won’t taste good. (You could try to tell me this, but I wouldn’t believe you.)