Chilled Spicy Thai Peanut Ramen. Photo by Carly Cady
I love my school, don’t get me wrong, but I think I have made it very clear that the food is not my favorite part about college life. I listen to my friends at other schools talk about their smoothie bars, crepe stations, and whole made desserts, and die a little inside when I realize the most exciting thing we have is a salad bar that rarely has any vegetables.
One type of food that is especially horrible is the asian food. I have heard of multiple students getting food poisoning from eating the “Orange Chicken” or “Teriyaki Pork” and am constantly told to avoid it at all costs. So, in order to satisfy my asian cuisine cravings, I have created a Chilled Spicy Thai Peanut Ramen.
Creating different dishes out of Ramen has become a new culture in the cooking community in recent years. Books like 101 Things to do with Ramen Noodles by Toni Patrick and blogs like The Ramen Rater explore ways to upgrade regular old ramen noodles by adding easy but delicious sauces and spices.
Hans Lienesch, creator of The Ramen Rater, has boiled the art of making ramen down to a fine science. While preparing the noodles Lienesch has a few rules that he sticks to. “I try my best to cook the noodles as directed on the packaging. I also try to never crush the block of noodles,” Lienesch said.
Ramen is one of the easiest things to make in the dorms and with a little effort it can also be the tastiest. “So good! I love the spicy kick that offsets the sweetness of the peanut butter,” Emily Cantwell, freshman at Cal Poly, said of the Spicy Thai Ramen.
Once you try it, you won’t be able to get enough! “Do you have anymore?” Lauren Deitch, Cal Poly student, said as she finished off the bowl.
What you’ll need to make this dish. Photo by Carly Cady
Chilled Spicy Thai Peanut Ramen
1 package of Chicken Top Ramen noodles
3/4 bag of the Top Ramen flavoring
3 tablespoons of peanut butter
2 teaspoon or one package of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of chili-garlic sauce (Sriracha works)
1/3 cup water
Directions
1. Start by placing the whole block of ramen in a microwave safe bowl. Do not crush or break the ramen up.
2. Pour hot water into the bowl so it covers the noodle and put it in the microwave for two minutes.
3. Stir the noodles gently until the start to break up. Place back into the microwave for about two and a half minutes, or until the noodles are complete soft and break up easily.
4.Drain any excess water from the noodles and replace it with cold water.
5. Drain the cold water out and place the noodles in the refrigerator.
6. In a separate bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, hot sauce, and the ramen flavoring.
7. Mix together and add enough water to give the sauce a thinner consistency.
8. Add sauce to the noodles and stir in.
9. Add green peppers and peanuts to top it off.
Adapted from Serious Eats.
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