This Japanese noodle soup is one of the convenience foods enjoyed by many; its ease of preparation and short cooking time make it the favorite of a lot of busy people. But the thing with ramen, just like some other foods, is that your taste buds eventually get accustomed to the taste if it is being prepared and seasoned the same way all the time.
You begin to crave something different- something more exciting! And thank goodness, I know exactly how you can upgrade your ramen. SPICES! Yeah, spice up your ramen.
Here, I have the best spices to add to ramen.With these spices, you can bid the plain old ramen goodbye. Let’s unveil them, shall we?
Best Spices to Add to Ramen
- GINGER
- GARLIC
- ONION
- CINNAMON
- WHITE/ BLACK PEPPER
- STAR ANISE
- THYME
- CORIANDER
- RED CHILE FLAKES & CAYENNE PEPPER
GINGER
Add a few slices of fresh peeled ginger to your ramen while it’s cooking and allow it to simmer in the broth for some minutes while the ginger’s flavor permeates the broth. You may add the pre-packed seasoning if you like or just add a blend of selected spices (from this list). Garnish with a few parsley or basil leaves and your delicious ramen is ready. Bon appetit!
GARLIC
How does garlic ramen or garlic butter ramen sound? Sounds good, right? Trust me, it tastes as good as it sounds! Melt a glob of butter in your saucepan and add some fresh garlic or garlic paste. Allow it to caramelize until it gives a golden hue; by this time, the garlic butter aroma has already filled your kitchen…. You may add some more spices and/or vegetables, then add your noodles (with or without the pre-packed seasoning). Voila! Your buttery garlicky ramen is ready.
ONION
Of course, “the kitchen queen” must find its way into my spice list. Onion has been used as a spice for years. Apart from the fact that it adds a distinct pleasant aroma to foods, onion has been eaten for medicinal purposes for a long time. To spice up your ramen with onions, you can sauté some thinly sliced fresh onions, then add hot water and start cooking your ramen with the pre-packed seasonings or with other spices and/or vegetables. Alternatively, you can add some onions powder to your ramen while it’s cooking.
CINNAMON
Cinnamon is one of the best kitchen spices ever, and that’s why it made it here – in this list of the best spices for your ramen. Although it is often used in baking and desserts, cinnamon is also used as a kitchen spice for dishes. You can add a stick of cinnamon to your ramen broth to make it more flavorful. If you don’t have a cinnamon stick, you can make do with cinnamon powder. 1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder added to your ramen broth or added to your pre-packed seasoning mix gives your ramen that sweet, irresistible cinnamon flavor.
Remember to remove the cinnamon stick from your broth before serving your ramen (if you used a cinnamon stick).
WHITE/ BLACK PEPPER
While or black pepper will make your ramen spicier and more flavorful, black pepper with its sweet flavor helps to balance the flavors in your ramen, making it just perfect.
Read also: Can You Microwave Ramen in a Styrofoam Cup?
STAR ANISE
This unique spice is often used in Indian cuisine to make Chai spice tea. It is a common ingredient used in many Asian dishes. Star anise has a licorice-like flavor and is often used in seafood and vegetarian dishes because of its strong pleasant fragrance. To spice up your ramen, add some crushed star anise to give it a rich burst of flavor.
THYME
This aromatic herb has been used not only as a medicine but also as a spice, for ages. It is used to flavor foods in many parts of the globe. You can add fresh thyme to your ramen, but if you can’t get that, just a teaspoon of dried thyme will do the trick.
CORIANDER
Ground coriander seeds will add some extra nice flavor to your ramen, with its warm citrus-like aroma, similar to that of cinnamon.
RED CHILE FLAKES & CAYENNE PEPPER
You can combine two or more spices to make your own unique seasoning/spice blend. While combining spices, try not to bombard your ramen with too many pungent or strong-smelling spices.
Read also: How Long Do You Cook Bagel Bites in Air Fryer, Oven, & Microwave?
Tips TO MAKE YOUR RAMEN HEALTHIER AND LESS BORING:
Incorporate some vegetables.
Vegetables not only make your meals more colorful and appealing but are also packed with essential vitamins and minerals which have a plethora of nutritional benefits to your body. You can add vegetables such as onions, carrots, spinach, celery, kale, or even cabbage to your ramen. These not only improve the appearance of your ramen but also improve the taste and flavor.
Add an egg.
Adding an egg to your ramen helps to improve the protein profile of your meal. Ramen is a low-protein food on its own, but you can make up for that by cracking an egg in your ramen or boiling an egg to eat with your ramen.
Variety, they say, is the spice of life. These amazing spices will sure make your ordinary ramen look like a gourmet dish. With these spices plus the extra tips to make your ramen less boring, I bet you won’t want to eat plain ramen ever again! I do hope you try one or more of these BEST SPICES TO ADD TO RAMEN. Do let me know if you do, will you?
