If there’s one ramen upgrade that Koreans swear by, it’s the spicy garlic version. It’s bold, aromatic, and comes together faster than delivery.
Ingredients (1 serving)
1 pack Hungry Korean Thin Ramen Noodles, 3 cloves garlic (minced), 1 tbsp Hungry Korean Gochugaru Chili Flakes, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp vegetable oil, 1 soft-boiled egg, green onions and sesame seeds to garnish.
Method
Heat vegetable oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and fry for about 60 seconds until fragrant and just golden — don’t let it burn. Add the gochugaru and stir for 30 seconds. This blooms the spice and releases all that smoky, fruity heat.
Cook your noodles, reserve some of the cooking water, and drain. Add the noodles to the pan, toss with the garlic-gochugaru oil, add soy sauce and sesame oil, and splash in a little cooking water to loosen the sauce.
Serve topped with a soft-boiled egg, green onions, and sesame seeds.
The Key Tip
Blooming the gochugaru in oil before adding anything else is what separates a good spicy ramen from a great one. That 30-second step unlocks a completely different depth of flavour.