Tuesday, November 30th - Pan Fried Halibut on Dressed-up Ramen

Pan Seared Halibut Filet with Dressed Up Ramen

Mom tells me that Korean's are the largest consumer of instant Ramen per capita.  I can really believe it.  In Korea, you can get them in vending machines with a hot water dispenser!  But I think within the 'instant' ramen gamut, there are categories and there are those 'more instant' than others.  For example, the ones I would truly categorize as Instant are those you simply add boiling water to, cover for a few minutes and eat of the same container.  The noodles have been parcooked and fried.  These tend to be very high in salt and fat.  There are the types that Koreans, all over the world buy in large quantities and they're the mid-instant.  They come, most often, in foil-plastic packages and require a pot.  The noodles are also parcooked though not always fried unless they are the really cheap end which you often see in the dollar stores or any convenience market rather than an Asian market or Asian section of a supermarket.  They too are pretty high in salt and alas, like the instant type, often contain MSG.  I probably spend 1000x as much time in a Ramen section than most Koreans because I'm standing there reading labels and comparing labels. 

Now on the higher end of 'instant' Ramen or rather Packaged Ramen is the type where the noodles are not parcooked and look like noodles that you would otherwise buy if you were making Ramen from scratch.  The ingredient list looks alot 'safer' and there is no MSG.  I like this variety.  One particular, yet not obvious reason I like this variety as well as the obvious is they have fatter noodles :^D.

Now, if I am looking for quick comfort, I'll pull one of these out but you will never see me eat these at home as is.  I will always chop an Onion, Vegetable or Protein up to add to it.  The only time you may see me eat straight up Ramen is at a snowlodge during lunch.  If you buy a decent quality one, you'll get a decent soup base and noodles already portioned for you. 

Tonight, D really really wanted to make some sort of Miso based soup to go with his Halibut but our Miso had expired.  He lamented the size of the container I bought, which was soooo small but we don't eat Korean often enough to go through it fast enough.  He was at a loss.  I told him he should have planned ahead like I do which went over really well.  So he started digging through the cupboards and asked about my organic instant Dashi mix and I explained to him that would only be the broth base. He then ransacked my Ramen stash.  He decided it would have to do.  On the package of the particular one he used, the broth looked like Miso but it was called a Spicy soup and it was definitely spicy and did not look like Miso when it was done. 

Dressed Up Packaged Ramen

To dress up the Ramen, he added, Broccoli Florets, fresh Ginger slices, Garlic, Scallions, Parsley and Hot Peppers as the Broth Mix and Water came to a boil.  The noodles can go in almost immediately following. He also added a few dried Shitake Mushrooms for flavour.  I tried to eat them but they were super rubbery.  D said they were just for the broth.  He pan seared his Halibut and topped the steaming bowl of Ramen with it.  Garnish with some more Scallions and Sesame Seeds. 

It was delicious.  I promised I'd look for Dengjang (Korean Miso) the next time I was at HMart though.

MMMMMM.