28 Jun Try at Home: Ramen Party
Have you ever gone to a backyard picnic with a taco or chili bar? Maybe it’s time for a ramen bar! Ramen is another meal that can be assembled by each person after the party has started.
To top it all off (see what we did there?) ramen is very customizable so everyone can make a bowl of ramen to their own taste whether they like spicy or mild food, and with only the ingredients they like.
How To
This idea came from the book Noodle Kids (see below). You do the prep work in advance, by yourself or with everyone getting an ingredient ready. A ramen meal can involve very little actual cooking beside the noodles. Common foods to include in a ramen bowl include cooked shredded meat, tofu, scallion, edamame, carrot, daikon, soy sauce, mushrooms, miso, and fish paste.
Once everything is ready, carry it out to the table and put it in the middle. Each person will get a bowl and ladle some broth in it. Then they can add ingredients of their own choosing. Finally, add some noodles and hand out chopsticks or silverware!
It’s another great group meal to bring out to a sunny picnic table where it’s easy to overlook a bit of messy eating.
Books
An International Noodle Cookbook for Kids
Noodle Kids: Around the World in 50 Fun, Creative Recipes the Whole Family Can Cook Together by Jonathan Sawyer
Oodles and oodles of noodles! Packed with recipes, tips, suggestions, and inspiration to introduce children to, and get them involved in, making noodles like Japanese ramen, Italian spaghetti, Southeast Asian stir-fires, and classic American mac and cheese. The recipes are simple and will take you on a journey around the world. The tips provided can help you choose the perfect topping and even help you set up your very own noodle bar dinner party! So go ahead, see where these worldly noodle recipes will take you!
What’s the Story Behind Packaged Instant Ramen?
Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando, written by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Kana Urbanowicz.
Every day, Ando Momofuku would retire to his lab–a little shed in his backyard. For years, he’d dreamed about making a new kind of ramen noodle soup that was quick, convenient, and tasty to feed the hungry people he’d seen in line for a bowl on the black market following World War II. “Peace follows from a full stomach,” he believed. Day after day, Ando experimented. Night after night, he failed. But Ando kept experimenting. With persistence, creativity, and a little inspiration, Ando succeeded. This is the true story behind one of the world’s most popular foods.
Indoors or out, we hope you can enjoy ramen with family or friends this summer!
