Add Crushed Ramen To Your Fried Rice And Taste The Magic

Chinese takeout can be a great solution for lunch or dinner when you need a quick meal. Or, let's face it, when you're just looking for something tasty. One dish that's a classic on Chinese takeout menus is fried rice: Delicious grains fried with bits of egg, veggies, and sometimes protein, such as chicken or tofu. While ordering Chinese is certainly fun every now and then, you can also make this dish at home pretty easily. And if you do, you have the opportunity to enhance it even further with one quick add-in: crushed ramen noodles.

This method doesn't require a wok to make and can even be a way to use up leftover rice, whether from your takeout meal or just a batch you made at home. It also gives it a unique texture thanks to the addition of the noodles. Plus, you get extra seasoning courtesy of the packets that come with the ramen, giving your dish an added burst of flavor.

The first thing to do if you want to make ramen fried rice is to choose what ramen flavor you'll be using. You could choose, for instance, a spicy kimchi variety to give your rice a slight kick and vinegary taste. Or, if you're a seafood lover, perhaps shrimp ramen would be best. For a darker, meatier flavor, a hearty beef ramen might be the right pick. Choose a variety that you like and that will give your fried rice the taste you're going for. It's also good to keep in mind that you can use either instant ramen in a cup or a packet. Either way, the method is still the same.

Once you've selected your ramen, it's time to start prepping the noodles. First, you'll need to remove them from the cup or packet they came in and crush them into small pieces. If you choose to skip this stage, you'll wind up with long noodles that don't mix into the rice well and can make the dish difficult to eat.

At this stage, some people mix the seasoning packet with the crushed noodles, while others set this aside to add to the rice later. Either way, don't toss this flavoring out, as you'll be using it in your dish to enhance the taste! Then, add just enough hot water to cover the tops of the noodles and allow them to sit until they're soft but not soggy.

After your noodles are soft and prepped, it's time to finish the dish. Heat some oil in a pan or skillet, crack in an egg, and cook until it's scrambled, and then toss in your leftover rice. A 2:1 ratio of rice to ramen works well, but you can use whatever amount you like, whether you want a more rice-heavy or ramen-heavy dish. As you cook the grains, make sure to use a spatula to break up any large clumps so that you get an even consistency and well-combined dish. Then, cook everything until the rice is crispy and heated through. From here, you'll toss in your ramen and mix the ingredients until they're well combined.

This could be the end of the story if you want to keep things simple. However, you can also choose to throw in other additions at this point. For extra flavor, you could add a little soy or oyster sauce. You could also mix in some protein, such as chopped cooked chicken, spam cubes, or crispy bacon. Or, add veggies such as corn, green onions, or chopped cooked carrots. Whether you choose to stir in some add-ins or leave things as they are, the resulting dish is a hearty and flavorful alternative to a standard plate of fried rice.