Play Me a Recipe

Peter J Kim makes Instant Ramyun "Carbonara"

Episode Summary

Instant ramen is at the heart and soul of Korean-American cuisine according to Counterjam host Peter J Kim. Its versatility means you can experiment with different broths, noodles, and add-ins, and in this episode, Peter walks you through his philosophies of instant ramen and a brothless instant ramen carbonara.

Episode Notes

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. Feel free to pause, jump back, or navigate the steps via the podcast chapters (if you're in Apple Podcasts, swipe up on the episode player page—the podcast chapters will be at the bottom).  

If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below (Peter starts listing them at 10:15) before starting the episode.

Instant Ramyun "Carbonara" 

Serves 1

• 1 packet instant ramen, such as Shin Ramyun
• 1 slice American cheese
• 1 large egg, divided

1. Put half of the ramen seasoning packet in a bowl; top with the cheese and then the egg yolk. Reserve the dried veggies and bottom-of-the-package crunchy noodle bits.
2. Simmer the "cake" of dried noodles, in a small saucepan of boiling water, until it just starts to unravel, about 1 minutes. Drop in the egg white and swirl with chopsticks, encouraging the noodles to further unravel.
3. Once the noodles are al dente (not soft!), drain and add them to the bowl. With chopsticks, mix the noodles with the yolk, cheese, and seasoning powder. The water on the noodles should help turn this all into a creamy, clingy sauce.
4. And, the pièce de résistance: garnish with the crunchy noodles and veggies for texture.