Koreans and noodles are inseparable.
As much as you see in movies or even K-dramas, instant noodles are one of Korea’s essential foods. With a wide variety of flavors that are now flooding the market, you can never resist a cup or packet of the finest taste.
(Image: Credits to the rightful owner)
(Image: Credits to the rightful owner)
From Korean spicy noodles to Korean fire noodles, they definitely can’t resist the heat in their food!
(Image: Credits to the rightful owner)
But what is the difference between ramen and ramyeon or ramyun? Ramen is Japanese and it is more broth-based soup whereas ramyeon or ramyun is spicy soup.
Why do Koreans Love Noodles So Much?
Instant noodles are like Kimchi to Koreans. Most of them can’t live without it, as Ramen is comfort food. Fun fact, it is a great hangover cure in Korea!
I believe the simplicity of making the noodles with many different and rich flavors to choose from and also to be able to add condiments of your own accord makes a 2-minute dish the most satisfying one yet!
(Image: Credits to the rightful owner)
The history of Ramen goes way back to 1963 where it was first brought to life by Jeon Jung-yoon. He is the founder of Samyang Ramen which introduced the Ramen making technology from Japan. Since the noodles were gaining popularity, he decided to bring them to Korea.
(Image: Credits to the rightful owner)
After the Korean war, the country was in poverty, therefore Yun-jeon decided to sell the Ramen for 10 won to solve the problem. Looking back, the noodles were the only thing Koreans enjoyed and it was passed down to several generations, leading to the Ramen hype today.
(Image: Credits to the rightful owner)
In 1960, Korea interacted with international countries which expanded the existence of Ramen. Now, many foreigners enjoy the noodles as it’s known to have Korea’s signature spiciness to it!
Cup Noodles Vs Packet Noodles
People wonder what difference both the options hold. Some people prefer the packet over the cup noodles and some prefer otherwise.
In my opinion cup noodles are way faster and require fewer utensils where you pour hot water into the cup, however, with packet noodles you’d have to boil water in a pot and then put them all in to cook.
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For the taste factor, many people agree that cup noodles do not taste the same as packet noodles. The cup noodles may have a different texture as the packet noodles will be boiled properly over the heat whereas the cup noodles don’t boil thoroughly.
However, research states that eating too many instant noodles is not good for your health. Why?
It is because the noodles do not contain a sufficient amount of nutrients. Consuming too much of this may lead to health problems such as heart diseases or even stroke.
It is not harmful to you if it is consumed at a moderate level, on the other hand, you may add vegetables or protein to consume a healthier and more balanced ramyeon dish.
10 Interesting Facts About Ramyeon
- Ramyeon was initiated in Japan in the 19th century.
- It is cooked in a yangeun nembi which can be also called a ramen pot; it is a nickel silver-plated aluminum pot.
- Korean ramen consumption is the highest in the world, with statistics showing one person can consume 80 packets of Ramyeon’s per year.
- It is the first noodle to be eaten in space!
- There are over 20 different types of Ramyeons in the market
- When eating the noodles, it is known by many Koreans to slurp them instead of putting them in your mouth! This gesture will avoid burning your lips due to the hot ramyeon noodles.
- You can eat the noodles raw! It is okay to enjoy ramyeon noodles as a snack.
- A packet of ramyeon is packed with a good amount of calories similar to how a balanced meal would contain.
- It contains MSG which enhances the taste of the soup.
- Due to the high consumption of these instant noodles, about 6,440 Korean adults have lower intakes of protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A & C, and a few other nutrients.
Types of Noodles
In Korea, there are many types of noodles besides the basic Ramen noodles. Some of their sauce bases can even be found in packets or cups, but with the original curly noodles.
These are the few Korean noodle dishes that is quite famous in Korea:
- Naengmyeon (Korean Cold Noodles)
It is a cold dish served with long thin handmade noodles with various ingredients including sweet potatoes and buckwheat.
Naengmyeon is often served with a tangy iced broth, pickled radish, thinly sliced Korean pears, cucumbers, and either a boiled egg or cold-boiled beef. As the noodles are made long, it is by tradition to eat them without cutting as it symbolizes longevity of good health and life.
- Jajangmyeon (Korean Black Bean Noodles)
This dish is popular in Korea and can be enjoyed in any season, any time of the day! Jajangmyeon is noodles mixed with a thick black sauce called Chunjang.
Chunjang is a mixture of sweet flour and sweet bean sauce. The dish originated from China where it was introduced to Koreans in 1905 by a Chinese restaurant that was owned by an immigrant.
Now you can find Jajangmyeon in ramen packets!
- Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles)
These noodles are often served as a side dish (banchan). It is a savory dish of vegetables and an interesting-looking noodle called cellophane noodles which is semi-transparent and made from sweet potato starch.
Korean glass noodles or also known as Korean sweet potato noodles is originally a Chinese Indonesian fusion dish. It is cooked with sesame oil, assorted vegetables, meat, mushrooms, and soy sauce.
It was known to be a royal dish but is now enjoyed by Koreans and it is said to be the most popular Korean dish during traditional celebrations like birthdays, weddings, and holidays.
How to Make Korean Noodles: Easy Recipe
(Image: Credits to the rightful owner)
We got the simplest recipe in making scrumptious Spicy Kimchi Ramen Noodles!
Ingredients:
- 5 packets of Korean ramen noodles
- 5 eggs
- 1 packet of white tofu
- 1 cup of Kimchi
- 1 can of spam (non-halal) or you can add chicken or beef
- Diced green onions
- Fried egg (optional)
Instructions:
- Boil 10 cups of water in a large pot over high heat.
- You may open the ramen packets and separate the seasonings and the noodles. Add the seasonings when the water starts to boil a little.
- Add Kimchi and the meat inside.
- When the water starts to boil, taste the soup to see if it’s too salty or bland. Add a bit of water if it’s salty, if it’s blended leave the soup to boil longer. Add noodles in when the soup fits your preference.
- Let the noodles boil for 2-3 minutes, before turning off the heat add the green onions as a topping.
- You may add a fried egg to top it but it is optional!
As there are too many variations of Ramyeon, we bet you have your favorite type. Leave a comment on which Ramyeon you like best!
