In an earlier posting I mentioned that I had received a JetBoil as a gift.
All the comments you guys posted and my own experiences that weekend made me decide to keep the thing.
You CAN cook in it but the bottom line is that JetBoil mostly boils water.
Yes, their website has a page for recipies that people make with their JetBoil system but the best are ‘then add boiling water’.
Now I spent a lot of years in a lot of Third-World nations so I can eat almost anything.
MREs don’t bother me (not as good at c-rations but…) and neither do the other “add hot water’ foods, which includes Raman Noodles. They actually have a recipe for Raman Noodles on the JetBoil website.
Re: Raman Noodles, there are ideas:
A- punch an airhole into the package, press the air out, smash the noodles into small spoon-sized pieces, seal the airhole with tape. This reduces bulk.
B- Measure a single package of noodles in your Sierra cup or such. Then fill a heavy-duty zip-lock bag or small dry-bag with all your packages (separating the flavor packs). Scoop the right amount from the bag each meal and add flavor packet. This reduces the number of packages you carry.
C- Add a chopped-up hard-boiled egg to the meal. Hard-boiled eggs with last days if kept against the hull below the waterline where they will remain cool.
D- Or add a foil package of tuna. A can is 75 cents, a foil package is $3. but no can to carry out.
E- You get the idea.
Anyone else have ideas for those of us with no taste and who will eat raman noodles every day?
There’s a book of ramen recipes
Never read it myself but I’ve heard of it. Bet you could buy a used copy at a college campus bookstore, LOL.
What I like to do with ramen at home is pan-fry it in a little veggie oil. While it works to boil quickly first in a pot, then drain and fry in a separate oiled pan, it is simpler (one pan) to put the dry ramen block in boiling water in that pan, cook a few minutes, then drain. Add cooking oil to coat the noodles and let the whole thing turn crisp on the bottom, then flip over to fry the other side.
Ditch the horrible, salty, MSG-loaded flavor packets. Instead, season with garlic powder, ginger, sesame oil and/or seeds, and soy sauce. Maybe some cooking sherry, white pepper, whatever you like. Add some cooked (or canned) chicken, fresh veggies etc. near the end. Any leftover meats get used…it’s like making fried rice from leftovers.
Now, since you asked about JetBoil, you could just boil the ingredients and skip the frying part. I think you lose some flavor, but it’s still tastier than plain ramen. Sesame oil packs a huge flavor wallop–use only a little bit.
add shrimp peas and almonds
Dehydrated peas.
You can also dehydrate shrimp.
Sliced almonds.
this is a good thought
Have my female friends mix up a baggie of garlic-garni with whatever else they feel is worth eating.
Then steal a bunch of soy-packets from the chinese places…
Asian noodles
If you want something with a taste other than MSG and salt, abandon your supermarket ramon noodles. Go to an Asian food store and try the range of ramon noodles from Korea, Thailand, etc. If you don’t mind a bit of red pepper you will be pleasantly surprised.
David
Add pre-cooked bacon
Oh, man, that’s not real soy sauce
Geez, go to the supermarket and buy a bottle of Kikkoman Soy Sauce. You can put some in a camp squeeze bottle.
The restaurants often use dark sauce that only looks like soy sauce. They have lots of wheat product and coloring, not much soy.
ICK!
101 ways to cook Ramen Noodles
http://www.amazon.com/Ways-Make-Ramen-Noodles-Cookbook/dp/0962633526
I have it and it’s basicly a bunch of different ways to add other stuff to the noodles…
I prefer adding cooked shrimp to the oriental flavored…then add a few chopped scallions to the mix…
Sorta lived on 'em for a few years
My favorite - cook noodles as instructed on package, remove from heat, then add one raw egg and stir vigorously. You’ll know when they are done enough. Better than adding pre-cooked eggs, and raw eggs (if fresh) will also keep for days without refrigeration.
Eat the Ramen with various sauces
e.eg peanut sauce, Tabasco sauce, soy, gonder sauce, various salad dressings. Like the 101 Ways book, adding just a sauce makes rthem take like a whole different noodle.
Agreed
I would only use the packets out of desperation. Kikkoman is good stuff and all I use at home.
Wanna know more about soy sauce?
Jennifer 8 Lee wrote a fascinating book about Chinese food’s impact on U.S. eating habits, “The Fortune Cookie Chronicles.” There’s a whole chapter about soy sauce. Jefferson County libraries have this book.
Tim, if you haven’t been there yet, try the dim sum at Star Kitchen (hope I am remembering the name correctly) restaurant at Federal and Mississippi, in the northeast corner. Also China Jade at Federal and Alameda…lots of other good places on that stretch of Federal.
Wish I could pack a bunch of dim sum to take on a paddle outing.
noodles…mmmm
Nong Shim picante flavored noodles. Amazing. Spicy too. Add a Starkist sweet & spicy tuna pouch and your set. The noodles are great by themselves though.
junk food
Most of Asia considers the packaged ramen to be junk food. The rough equivalent of our fast food burger.
As mentioned above, go to any supermarket in any community with an Asian population, and buy the ingredients to make your own. It will taste better and be healthier. It will cost a bit more than the 19 cents per package crap you can buy in bulk at the big box stores, but you are better off for it in the short and long run.
raman noodles & Chicken Kiev
dispose of raman noodles
eat Chicken Kiev
“Crack-head soup”
- Ramen (any flavor)
- Boiled pre-cooked bacon
- Slice of cheese
- Any other additive that looks appetizing when you are three sheets to the wind after drinking scotch all day on the river.
LOL!!!
eggs
I’d say fresh eggs are good for a week or two if kept cool in the bilge. They last much longer than boiled eggs, because they have natural anti-microbials in the albumin (lysozymes).
You can buy dehydrated shrimp at asian food stores. That’s good for adding to noodles when boiling them.
/
I’ll definitely put that
on my list. I had a plate of Namiko’s dim sum about a month ago, yum. I saw a program on one of the PBS stations showing the manufacture of “real” soy sauce. Not a pretty process, but it sure makes stuff taste good. I had a lot of authentic Asian food while in the Navy. My own preference puts Japanese at the top of the heap. Of course, it has to cost more than most of the other varieties. I haven’t eaten a water creature I didn’t like so far.