If you are like me in any way (busy, vegan, grad student, not rolling in money) you probably eat a lot of ramen. This is fine. I mean, it’s probably not, actually, like I knew a PhD candidate once who got legitimate malnutrition from eating nothing but ramen for six weeks, but whatever, it’s fine. Also though if you are like me you are constantly looking for ways to make your ramen better because the sauce gets super boring and also is maybe killing you. The best way to do this is to experiment with different interesting sauces which can be whipped up quickly while the noodles are cooking and therefore make the thing you eat twice a day more fun. We’ve already talked about this once. Today I would like to present to you a second sauce contender: Ginger Scallion Sauce.
Ginger scallion sauce comes from famous important chef David Chang of Momofuku in NYC. I have never been there and never will, but his recipes are popular around the internet. Ginger scallion sauce is allegedly The Greatest Condiment — I’m not sure I agree with this, but perhaps you will!
GINGER SCALLION NOODLES
via David Chang and Momofuku
1 large bunch thinly sliced or shredded scallions (are these different from green onions??)
1/4 cup finely minced peeled fresh ginger (or you can buy ginger paste from the Asian grocery)
1/4 cup grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided
2 tablespoons soy sauce, preferably usukuchi (light soy sauce), divided (I have never even seen usukuchi and just use regular)
3/4 teaspoon sherry vinegar (I use rice vinegar?)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
Tofu, frozen peas, edamame, chicken, literally whatever
Ramen, soba, somen, a kind of noodle
1. Begin preparing your noodles however you prefer. I usually make plain $.60 ramen and just boil it without the spice packet and then strain it, sometimes throwing some frozen veggies in with it.
2. Chop your scallions — they can be as big and chunky or minced small as you want. Mix with other sauce ingredients in a bowl. There are different schools of thought on this — I usually mix it in the same bowl I plan to eat out of because I don’t have a dishwasher, so. But also I like a lot of sauce. If this seems like a crazytown amount of sauce for you, then mix in a separate bowl and put half in a tupperware or something.
3. I believe that, in an ideal world, you are supposed to let the sauce sit for 30 minutes or something so the flavors can meld. I have literally never done this. If I have 30 minutes, I’m using it to eat lunch, not watch flavors meld. Up to you.
4. Are your noodles ready? Drain those suckers! WE DON’T NEED NO WATER LET THE M*THERFUCKERS DRAIN. Anyhow. Now you can mix them with your sauce and add-ins and you’re ready to go! Can also be premixed and eaten cold at a later date. I think this would be good.
yes.
This looks amazing. Momofuku is on my dream list of restaurants to try sometime, as well as WD~50 and the French Laundry. (I know, dream big.)
If anyone has ever found gluten-free ramen, please let me know where! I actually miss eating ramen.
http://www.thekitchn.com/glutenfree-asian-noodles-121367
Thanks!
french laundry is the ultimate dream restaurant.
I never have eaten actual ramen, but I make my own knock-off all the time using thin rice noodles (gluten free and cook really fast). Buckwheat soba noodles would be an option too.
I have never been to THE French Laundry but I went to another restaurant called “The French Laundry” in Fenton, MI. It was pretty fab, too.
Those packets of ramen in my cabinet have never looked so appetizing. Thanks!
I have a hard time using fresh ginger before it goes bad, so I grate the whole piece at once and freeze the extra in small portions (ice cube trays work well for this sort of thing if you have some ice cube trays dedicated to food). Penzey’s Spices also sells a ginger powder which is excellent.
I made these right after I found the book on a library visit, I can attest to the fact that they are super yummy! To satisfy my girlfriends need for meat, the shredded pork was also made and consumed with this!
If you’re into animal products I would highly suggest doing so too!
i want you to put this in my mouth please.
this actually looks delicious. i’m a student, but i rarely eat ramen. i kind of want to buy a package of ramen just to make this meal.
You are such a boss! This looks delicious and cheap… two of my favorite edible traits
(seriously if I didn’t say it someone else was going to)
(FTR that’s only half true)
another variation of this awesome sauce is to heat up the oil until it’s really hot and then pour it over the raw scallions and ginger and salt, this kindof does some speed flavour melding and takes some of the edge off raw onion. also it crackles! this traditionally goes really well with poached chicken a la chinese bbq shops.
Totally making this. Mostly because I always have ramen that doesn’t get eaten.
I was like ‘omg this sounds amazing what else delicious could go in ramen’ (or rice noodles, if you’re me).
And then all of a sudden I have a bunch of tabs open with bacon ramen recipes.
I think I have a problem.
I’m right there with you, I’m starting to love bacon on everrything. When did this happen? D:
Do you use a spoon to peel your ginger that is such a good idea.
Thank you! As someone who has a new-found need to find new and interesting ways to eat ramen, this is one more thing to add to my repertoire.
FYI: If you have an Aldi grocery store in your area, 12pk ramen is only $1.69. For those of you in the 5 College/Amherst/Northampton/Smith area, there’s one on Route 9 next to where the bison farm used to be.
Another idea: I have 4 different kinds of Thai curry paste (favorite is yellow curry). A couple of tablespoons, a can of coconut milk, onions, diced tomatoes, a bunch of whatever veggies I have on hand and simmer it for a little bit. You can cooked meat to make it faster but I like to take chicken thighs and simmer them in the sauce until the meat comes off the bone easily (If really broke, I saute ground beef or turkey with the paste and onions first). Then I use that sauce as a base for ramen soup by taking a couple of ladle-fulls, adding enough water to boil ramen then add noodles dry and let them soak up the broth while cooking.
I’ve been obsessing about veggie ramen recipes during the whole weekend. It looks delicios and I’ll surely do it! You just made my day, thanks:D
YUM. I’m all about your recipes, Rachel! This looks so quick and delicious! Possibly a substitute for your peanut butter soba recipe which my girlfriend has asked me to make about once a week since you posted it! :)
I love that you wrote M*THERFUCKER instead of MOTHERF*CKER, as if “mother” were the swearword.
scallions taste great in a lot of things. would recommend tossing it in with miso soup and tofu (cubed) too~