I've been on a bit of a ramen kick lately... When I'm craving salt & fat, this is usually my go-to vice. There's really nothing quite like a steaming bowl of fried curly ramen noodles and spicy broth to nourish the junk food soul. Every [vegan] thing in moderation, right?
I'm finding it easier and easier to find vegan ramen these days at mainstream stores. You can get the Nongshim vegan ramen at major supermarkets, and you can find other vegan ramens at most department stores. I bought the ramen pictured above at Lotte Department store. The noodles in this one are made (partially?) with brown rice!
Since ramen by itself is pretty much nutritionally vacant, I like to pimp it with all kinds of veggies. While non-vegans will usually crack an egg into it (or add spam, ew), I prefer to throw in a ton of other ingredients like tofu, zucchini, carrots, or homemade mandu, just to name a few. I rarely (if ever) make ramen with just the package ingredients now. The noodles and broth are merely the blank canvas for all the colorful veggies that will get piled on top. It's a chance to let experimentation and creative expression run free! Oh, and if you're wondering why my ramen looks a bit pale, it's because I usually leave out a little bit of the powdered soup mix to reduce the sodium (you know, less bloating...).
This one has tofu, zucchini, green bell peppers, and onions.
Here's another vegan ramen made from potato noodles. I can't remember where I bought this one... I think from one of the Loving Hut stores.
In this bowl, I tossed in some tofu cubes, sliced carrots, and broccoli. I also added about a spoonful of okara I had in my freezer, but you can't really see it cuz it has sunk to the bottom of the bowl.
Gotta enjoy ramen with some vegan kimchi. Yum!!!
Last but not least, here's a similar combination of veggies, but with a massive mandu dumpling in the middle. I'm telling you, I can and will add everything but the kitchen sink into my ramen. :)
What do you like to add to your ramen noodles?
PS. The Vegan Bakesale Fundraiser extravaganza is only 1 week away! There will be allllll kinds of vegan delights there: cinnamon rolls, brownies, cupcakes, cookies, truffles, raw snacks, gluten free treats... and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Oh, it shall be grand! Let us know you're coming on our Facebook page! :)