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| Photo: zstockphotos / Canva |
When you live alone, the urge to skip a meal strikes easily—either because you can’t be bothered to cook a full meal or because you haven’t found a routine that allows you to batch-cook for the freezer yet. Usually, that’s when we grab instant noodles from the pantry, toss them in hot water or the microwave, and call it a day.
But my dear plant-based pilgrim, there are ways to transform that sodium bomb known as instant noodles into real food—without taking longer than the five minutes it usually takes to prepare them. All you need are your favorite noodles, frozen vegetables, an egg, seasonings, and a trash can to throw away that flavor packet.
How to upgrade your noodles (in under 5 minutes)
Transform that sodium bomb known as instant noodles into real food.
Important: use actual instant noodles for this, as they are designed to cook quickly. You won't get the same result with regular pasta.
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 6 min
Serves: 1
Equipment
Stove, pan, chopsticks
Ingredients
1 package of instant noodles (any kind)
1 spoon of soy sauce
1 spoon of sesame oil
1 hand of frozen broccoli
1 hand of frozen vegetable mix
1 egg
500ml of water
Preparation
Step 1
In a pot with a lid, bring the noodles and your chosen vegetables to a boil over medium-low heat.
Step 2
Once the water starts boiling, set a timer for three minutes.
Step 3
Give the noodles a stir; they should be soft by now.
Step 4
Lower the heat and crack the raw egg directly into the boiling water—the hot water will poach it.
Step 5
Leave it on the heat with the lid on for at least two minutes.
Step 6
Pro-tip: the water will try to boil over a few times, so keep an eye on it to avoid making a mess on your stove.
Step 7
After two minutes, turn off the heat.
Step 8
Optional: I like to leave the pot covered for another minute or two with the heat off—it’s the perfect amount of time to pick a movie, use the restroom, or put on your pajamas.
Step 9
Serve the noodles in your favorite bowl—broth included—and drizzle with a little soy sauce and sesame oil. And that's it. We have ramen at home.