I call this my upgraded instant ramen noodle which will give your boring instant ramen a stunning makeover and would also wow you friends & family with your creativity!
I am sure you all have had a time when that little packet of instant ramen noodles came as your savior as you were stuck with sudden hunger pangs!
Or it even might be possible that you made these packets your regular meal just like I did when I was just starting to live on my own many years ago!
I know! We all have been there!
At the same time, we all knew that these instant noodles do not contribute any nutritional value to our body on its own. But you have all the provision of transforming it to a nutritious meal just by tweaking things a bit!
And that’s what today’s recipe of upgraded instant ramen noodle is all about!
What exactly is this upgraded instant ramen noodle?
A packet of instant ramen noodles is nothing but a convenience food. It cooks super fast and doesn’t even need any extra understanding of cooking; only the knowledge of boiling water is enough.
Just boil the dried noodles with the tastemakers in water and within 5 minutes, you are ready with a filling meal. Thanks to its convenience, this food item is widely popular worldwide.
But unfortunately this fast food does not bring any additional nutrition to the table. It does not contain any fiber or protein on its own.
So I thought why not give it a makeover? My idea was to create a wholesome meal using the instant ramen which will have all the important macronutrients – protein, fiber, fat – and carb is what noodles itself is adding.
So instead of making your very familiar instant noodles in the usual boring way, I added veggies, chicken and a tempting stir fry sauce to give it a complete makeover and make it irresistibly addictive!
And there you have the stunning and delicious upgraded instant ramen noodle!
Ingredients for upgraded instant ramen noodle
Instant noodle: Give your creativity wings to fly and use any variety of instant noodle for this recipe. Choose the one you like the most with its tastemaker (that small packet of dry spices) and some also comes with a spicy oil. You can use both to spice up your upgraded instant noodle.
My favorite variety in India is this one!
Chicken thigh/breast: You will need boneless and skinless chicken which are cut into small thin strips. Feel free to use chicken breast or chicken thighs.
Button mushroom: Mushrooms add an extra dimension to the noodle and I love them. The mushroom slices with little charred on the edges gives a smoky flavor to the noodle.
Veggies: You can use any veggies of your choice. I used broccoli and a red bell pepper/capsicum to make a vibrant color contrast in my upgraded instant noodle. Other good options could be baby corn, zucchini, bamboo shoots etc.
Oil: To stir fry your noodle, you will need any flavorless oil like canola or sunflower oil; peanut oil goes well too with Oriental dishes.
Soy sauce: Soy sauce is the key ingredient for the stir fry sauce that will elevate the simple instant ramen to its upgraded version. It adds umami and depth of flavor. Try to use low sodium soy sauce to cut down the extra salt.
White vinegar: The component of tanginess comes from vinegar. You can use simple white vinegar or authentic Oriental rice wine vinegar.
White or Brown sugar: A little amount of sugar will balance out the salt and tartness giving the sauce the perfect taste!
Green/spring onion: No Oriental food is complete without spring onion. Use the white part while stir frying and green part to garnish and add a little more pungency.
Garlic: Another must have aromatic for any stir fry. Add minced garlic to the oil at the very beginning to get the maximum flavor infused into the oil which in turn will infuse the noodle.
Dry red chilli (optional): If you are spice lovers like us, throw in a few dry red chillies to add that kick.
Salt & pepper: Round up your upgraded instant ramen with right seasoning.
How to make upgraded instant ramen noodle?
Let’s now see the step by step process of making this easy and delicious upgraded instant ramen.
Step 1: Boil enough water in a saucepan to cook the instant noodles. Add salt to the water and once the water comes to boil, switch off the flame and drop in the dried instant noodle blocks into it without the tastemaker which we will use later.
Step 2: Let the noodles soak in hot water for 10 minutes. Then pour it into a colander to let all the water drain out. Rinse the noodles with running cold water, keeping it inside the colander so that water flows out and finally leave it in the colander to let all water drain out while you complete the other steps.
Step 3: Before starting the stir fry, you must complete all the chopping of chicken and vegetables – mushroom thinly sliced, broccoli cut into small florets, bell pepper cut into thin strips, spring onion finely chopped with green and white parts separated and garlic finely minced.
Step 4: Now heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok. First we will cook broccoli as it would take maximum time to be tender compared to other veggies.
Step 5: Drop in the broccoli florets and stir fry on high for just 1 minute. Then drizzle about 2 tablespoons of water around the wok and cover it using a snug-fitting lid ensuring no steam is getting escaped. Broccoli will cook in the steam and become soft but not mushy and the water will evaporate eventually.
Step 6: Let the broccoli cook covered for 5 minutes; you may stir once in between removing the lid and then put the lid back on. Once broccoli is cooked to your liking, take them out on a plate and set aside.
Step 7: Add remaining oil to the wok and once hot add minced garlic, dry red chillies and spring onion whites. Saute for 1 minute and then add the chicken strips.
Step 8: Stir fry chicken on medium heat for 5 minutes until it is cooked half way through. Then add the thinly sliced mushroom and keep stir frying on medium heat.
Step 9: Chicken & mushroom will cook together and mushrooms will turn brown on the edges in about 6 to 8 minutes. Next add the bell pepper strips and continue cooking on medium for 5 minutes.
Step 10: While the chicken and veggies are cooking, prepare the sauce in a small bowl by mixing soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Give them a good stir.
Step 11: Once all the veggies and chicken are cooked through, add the sauteed broccoli and the cooked ramen noodles to the wok. Then pour the prepared sauce on top.
Step 12: Now carefully start mixing the noodles with the sauce and veggies using a tong or two forks. Use very light hands making sure the noodles do not break too much.
Step 13: Now add the tastemaker (and the spiced oil too if it’s there) that comes with the instant noodle packet. Toss everything using a tong or forks.
Step 14: Once mixed well, taste the noodles for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Tastemakers already have salt in it, so do check the noodles before adding additional salt.
Step 15: Sprinkle the spring onion greens and give a final stir. Your upgraded instant ramen noodle is ready to serve!
Other Stir Fry Noodles recipe from Flavor Quotient
- Spicy Stir Fry Noodles with Shrimps & Broccoli | Easy Stir Fry Recipe
- Stir Fried Chicken Noodles *Video Recipe*
- Easy Chicken Ramen Noodles with Sausage & Egg *Video Recipe*
- Instant noodles with tastemaker - 3 packs of 100 gms each, use any variety of your choice
- Chicken thigh/breast - 200 gms, boneless & skinless, cut into small thin strips
- Button mushroom - 1 cup, cut into thin slices
- Broccoli - 1 small head, cut into bite-sized florets
- Bell pepper/capsicum - 1, small, cut into strips of 1-inch length (use capsicum of any color)
- Any flavorless oil of your choice (canola/sunflower) - 4 to 5 tbsp
- Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
- White vinegar - 1 tsp
- White or Brown sugar - 1 tsp
- Green onion - 4 to 5 stalks, white and green part separated and finely chopped
- Garlic - 8 to 10 cloves, minced
- Dry red chilli (optional) - 2 to 3
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Boil enough water in a saucepan to cook the instant noodles. Add salt to the water and once the water comes to boil, switch off the flame and drop in the dried instant noodle blocks into it without the tastemaker which we will use later.
- Let the noodles soak in hot water for 10 minutes. Then pour it into a colander to let all the water drain out. Rinse the noodles with running cold water, keeping it inside the colander so that water flows out and finally leave it to let all water drain out while you complete the other steps.
- Before starting the stir fry, you must complete all the chopping of chicken and vegetables - mushroom, broccoli, bell pepper, spring onion, garlic.
- Now heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok. First we will cook broccoli as it would take maximum time to be tender compared to other veggies.
- Drop in the broccoli florets and stir fry on high for just 1 minute. Then drizzle about 2 tablespoons of water around the wok and cover it using a snug-fitting lid. Broccoli will cook in the steam and become soft but not mushy and the water will evaporate eventually.
- Let the broccoli cook covered for 5 to 7 minutes; you may stir once in between removing the lid and then put the lid back on. Once broccoli is cooked to your liking, take them out on a plate and set aside.
- Add remaining oil to the wok and once hot add minced garlic, dry red chillies and spring onion whites. Saute for 1 minute and then add the chicken strips.
- Stir fry chicken on medium heat for 5 minutes until it is cooked half way through. Then add the thinly sliced mushrooms and keep stir frying on medium heat.
- Chicken & mushroom will cook together and mushrooms will turn brown on the edges in about 6 to 8 minutes. Next add the bell pepper strips and continue cooking on medium for 5 minutes.
- While the chicken and veggies are cooking, prepare the sauce in a small bowl by mixing soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Give them a good stir.
- Once all the veggies and chicken are cooked through, add the sauteed broccoli and the cooked ramen noodles to the wok. Then pour the prepared sauce on top.
- Now carefully start mixing the noodles with the sauce and veggies using a tong or two forks. Use very light hands making sure the noodles do not break too much.
- Now add the tastemaker and spicy oil, if any, that comes with the instant noodle packet. Toss everything using a tong or forks.
- Once mixed well, taste the noodles for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Tastemakers already have salt in it, so do check the noodle before adding additional salt.
- Sprinkle the spring onion greens and give a final stir. Your upgraded instant ramen noodle is ready to serve! Enjoy!
Liked the recipe? Let us know!