3A.M. Ramen

umami beer instant ramen. a recipe, the deadly combination of the my most reached-for hunger busters when peckish at 3AM.

1. open a can of beer, take out the block of parmigiano. sip beer. small nibble of cheese (chef’s privileges, naturally) before commencing cooking.
2. fire on. sip beer. beer and soybean milk in the pot in a 1:2 ratio. or whatever ratio will do, 1:2 was just my 3AM whims. in any case, ramen should be slightly less than half-submerged.
3. stand over the stove, observe the unlikely union of liquids bubble and froth while sipping beer. occasionally flip the instant ramen with mismatched chopsticks to ensure even cooking.
4. when ramen is close to your preferred firmness (personally, i enjoy 20 seconds over al dente), put in one small spoonful of miso paste, a little tomato paste, and one large chomp of parmigiano (roughly chopped).
5. stir until well-mixed. add water to loosen if required. parmigiano adds great body to the dish, and the miso delivers the killer blow. formidable stuff.
6. consume straight out of the pot. sip beer between bites. optionally, look out the darkness of your night-time window. what am i doing here? enjoying the delectable one–two umami punch distraction from my daily anguishes, of course

jul 2021