ramen noodles
Also known as: Ramen Noodle
Thin, springy wheat noodles made with an alkaline mineral water called kansui, which gives them their distinctive yellow tint and elastic, chewy bite that plain wheat noodles don't have. Sold both fresh or refrigerated and as the dried instant bricks most familiar from packaged ramen, served in broth or stir-fried.
Buying guidance
The instant bricks that come with a seasoning packet are convenient, but the packet is usually far saltier and more one-note than a broth built with its own seasoning -- use just the noodles and season separately for more control. Fresh or frozen alkaline noodles, sold in Asian grocery refrigerator cases, have a noticeably springier, more authentic chew than the dried instant kind.
Substitutions
- Fresh or frozen alkaline noodles -- springier texture than dried instant, the closest true substitute.
- Spaghetti or another thin wheat noodle -- lacks the alkaline chew, a softer, milder bite.
- Spaghetti cooked with a small pinch of baking soda in the boiling water -- mimics some of ramen's alkaline texture and color; add cautiously since too much affects flavor.
Tips & common mistakes
Ramen noodles keep absorbing liquid and softening even after they're cooked and out of the pot, faster than Italian-style pasta does, so noodles left sitting in hot broth for very long go from springy to bloated and mushy -- cook them close to serving time rather than well ahead.
Storage
Fresh or refrigerated alkaline noodles, unlike the dried instant bricks, are perishable and typically keep only about a week in the refrigerator, or a few months frozen -- check the package date rather than assuming they store like shelf-stable dried ramen.