QUICK AND EASY-TO-MAKE 10-MINUTE KIMCHI RAMEN NOODLES
I love Korean food. we used to eat out a lot, and Korean restaurants are places we frequently visit. With the lifestlye change me and my family embarked on, dining out regularly is not an option.
Recently, I’ve been teaching myself to cook Korean-inspired dishes (Japanese too!). Why Korean-inspired and not authentic? Because ingredients are not always readily available, and even if they are, they aren’t the most affordable. I try to incorporate local ingredients when I could.
This recipe was borne out of me cooking dinner for one because hubby went to fetch my mother-in-law at the airport.
Like any other homemaker, cooking for just yourself is not something one puts a lot of effort on. Knowing my husband’s schedule ahead of time, I cooked extra rice during lunch to save effort, and planned on just eating instant noodles with egg to go along with it. Less than 10mins and i’m done.
I was preparing just that, when I noted I have kimchi and gochujang and the dish is borne. Still less than 10 minutes, and still instant noodle soup, but so much better. Everything is better with kimchi. That’s my take. 😊
HEALTH BENEFITS OF KIMCHI
Kimchi is a fermented food. As such it is rich in probiotics and antioxidants. It is also packed with vitamins, minerals, and amino-acids, while maintaining a low calorie count.
This superfood is known to:
Promote digestion and gut health due to increased levels of good bacteria.
Help boost immunity.
Reduce inflammation and slow the aging process
Aid in weight loss
Lower risk of heart diseases
BUDGET RECIPE
This recipe is good for 1 person and costs less than Php50.
Instant Ramen Noodles – I used Lucky Me Chicken Flavor, Php9.
Kimchi – 1 small cup, around 100-150g, Php25. (I buy in a neighborhood Korean store. They sell Kimchi in small, medium and big tubs. Php25, 60, and 130 respectively).
Gochujang – Php6. Recipe only needs 1 spoon of this ingredient. Our neighborhood Korean store sells in small cups for Php30. It contains around 5-6 spoonfuls.
Only these 3 ingredients are a must, the rest are optional. They don’t add to the taste. I have them on hand, and made for a heartier meal for me, so why not?
The chicken balls, crab sticks and tofu will make the dish more hearty. These ingredients, I always have in my pantry. I like to stock-up with inexpensive bland ingredients. They don’t add to the taste, but add a few pieces of each to any dish and it ups the wow factor.
Feel free to customize and add what you have on hand. Bland ingredients (like mushrooms) are recommended as they won’t affect the taste.
Green Onion/ Leeks I also always have. Why? Because they are inexpensive (Php5 for a bunch of stalks), and makes any dish look pretty.
Budget recipes need not look blah. A bit of creativity goes a long way.
SERVING SUGGESTION
This dish is ramen noodle soup, so you can eat as is. Or you can do what I did, and eat together with a cup of rice topped with fried egg sprinkled with sesame seeds and spring onions for a happier than happier meal. 😅
10-MINUTES KIMCHI RAMEN NOODLES
Ingredients
- 1 packet Instant noodles I used Lucky Me Chicken Flavor, it’s what I have on hand
- 100 g Kimchi
- 1 tbsp gochujang you can add more depending on your taste
- 2 pcs pcrab sticks cut into thirds (optional)
- 3 pcs pchicken balls cut in half (optional)
- 1 slice tofu cut into cubes (optional)
- 1 stalk sgreen onion chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Boil 2 cups of water.
- Add in ramen flavoring included in packet, kimchi, and gochujang. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add in ramen noodles, chicken balls and tofu, simmer for another 3 minutes.
- Top the dish with crabsticks and green onions, turn off heat, and you’re done.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Check out these other easy to make recipes.
Tinolang Tahong (Stewed Mussels In Ginger)