Exciting instant ramen recipes to try amidst quarantine

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Ramen Cacio e Pepe, recipe by Josh Scherer of Mythical Kitchen. Photo by Kim Neri

The quarantine has reinforced the idea that cooking is a basic skill that everyone has to learn.

Even though knowing how to cook is now more important than ever, the current social situation has made cooking more difficult because of the shortages brought on by people hoarding various products.

Amidst this dire situation, an item that most people might still have in their pantries is a pack, or several packs of instant ramen noodles. However, eating ramen noodles for several days at a time might become mundane and unappetizing. The recipes listed below are recipes anyone can use in the comfort of their homes, with ingredients that may be readily available in pantries. All credits go to their creators.

● French Onion Soup Ramen- Josh Scherer (Mythical Chef Josh), Mythical Kitchen

Ingredients:
* 2 Tbsp butter
* 2 onions
* 1 pack of instant ramen
* ¼ tsp salt
* 1 quart water
* ½ cup of any cheese available
* Black pepper to taste

1) Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large sauce pot. Thinly slice onions then add to butter
along with salt and the seasoning packet from ramen. Stir and allow to cook down for about 20 minutes, until caramelized and slightly burnt.
2) Add a quart of water and stir.
3) Let boil for 10 minutes. Add ramen noodles to water, cover, and boil for an additional 2 minutes.
4) Add soup and noodles to a bowl, grate any cheese you have on top and either broil or throw in the microwave until melted.

● Ramen Cacio e Pepe, Josh Scherer, Mythical Kitchen

Ingredients
* 1 pack instant ramen
* ½ cup pasta water (water used to boil instant ramen noodles)
* 2 Tbsp butter
* 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese
* Many cracks of black pepper

1) Boil ramen and drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water
2) Add pasta water and butter to a large saute pan and add ramen noodles. Add fresh cracked black pepper and half of the parmesan cheese. Saute for 2 minutes, until the sauce has slightly thickened.
3) Serve on plate and garnish with more black pepper and the rest of the parmesan cheese.

● Egg Drop Soup Ramen, Kimberly Neri, LHS

Ingredients:
* A pack of ramen noodles
* An egg
*Salt and pepper to taste

1) Season water with salt and bring to a boil
2) Add ramen noodles to water and cook for 2 minutes
3) Add egg and stir (preferably stirring in one direction)
4) Add ramen seasoning packet
5) Season with salt and pepper to taste.

● Tablo Ramyun, Liliya Admire, LHS

Ingredients:
* A pinch of sesame seeds
* A pack of ramen noodles
* A clove of garlic
* An egg

1) Boil sesame seeds in water
2) Put ramen noodles in when boiling
3) Put the clove of mashed garlic in the water
4) When the noodles are almost cooked, add the spice packet
5) Crack the egg over the noodles and serve!

Other ways to dress up a bowl of ramen:
● Cabbage and “a bunch of spices” — Josie Hafer, LHS
● Red pepper flakes — Abby Bower, LHS
● Cauliflower — Wendy Guo, LHS
● Hard-boiled eggs, green onions, and hot sauce (“So much that your lips tingle.”) — Lane Mulder, Northwestern College, Iowa