Gourmet Ramen Noodles

I have a vice that probably shouldn't be mentioned on a food blog, but you're also not supposed to stop posting for over a week. We're breaking all the rules here. My vice is a love for ramen noodles. I can see you making that face.

If you do it right, ramen noodles are delicious and easy, I swear. Before I get started on how good ramen is, I'll point out the main reason not to eat them: instant noodles are generally high in carbohydrates but low in fiber, vitamins and minerals--Basically empty calories. But they're really cheap and come in such nice single-serving packages. Plus, it's kind of hard to find non-instant ramen noodles in the middle of the U.S. And we're going to add all kinds of wonderful things that'll make you feel much better about eating instant ramen noodles.

You've still got that face on. I'll have you convinced by the time we get through this recipe. The following is only one of many combinations of ingredients I've used, but it's a standby for me:

1 pack of instant ramen
-See that instant broth packet? Step #1 is to throw it in the garbage. Next, go ahead and toss those noodles in some boiling water to get them started.

4 oz (half a package) of mushrooms, sliced
-Fry these guys in light oil or butter while your noodles are boiling.

soy sauce
chili garlic sauce
fresh ground pepper
lemon juice
As much broccoli as you like, bite-sized pieces

-When the noodles are 1/2 done, drain some of the water, so there is just enough to cover the noodles in the pan.
-Add seasonings to your tastes; I like at least a tablespoon of soy sauce, a heavy teaspoon of chili garlic sauce (that's a lot for most people), 6 or so turns of pepper, and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Amounts will vary greatly on how much water is in the pan. If it seems like a lot of salt that you're adding, keep in mind that most of it stays in the broth and doesn't go into your mouth.
-Stir the seasonings into the water, then add the broccoli on top of the noodles and cover.
-Reduce heat
-The broccoli steams while the noodles are infused with flavors.

1 small tomato, bite-sized diced

Finally, add all ingredients to a bowl big enough to contain them. My sister gave me a couple of perfect ramen bowls from CB2 (the big ones are for ramen). Their website calls them serving bowls, but don't listen to their lies.

Seriously, I love this stuff. It's my lunch probably 3 days a week.

Now that you know the standard procedure, experiment with your own additions. Other toppings that are great: hard boiled eggs (sliced, obviously), spinach (traditionally it's seaweed, but this works pretty well), kimchi, and thinly sliced meats. You can also mix up the seasonings. Substitute salt for the soy sauce and add a dose of curry powder and cumin, for instance.