Jung Joon-ha’s Special Mentaiko Ramen
Night Market Jung Joon-ha’s Mentaiko Exercise: A Simple Yet Deeply Flavored Late-Night Snack Recipe
This recipe is for ‘Mentaiko Exercise,’ a delightful dish where cooked ramen noodles are tossed with mentaiko (spicy cod roe) sautéed in butter. It’s like a simplified version of mentaiko spaghetti, perfect for a quick and satisfying late-night meal. The combination of chewy noodles and savory mentaiko is truly exceptional.
Main Ingredients- 1 pack Ramen noodles (plain)
- 1/2 Red chili pepper (or Cheongyang chili pepper)
- 100ml Milk
- A little bit of roasted seaweed (gim)
Seasoning & Others- 1 Tbsp Mentaiko (spicy cod roe)
- 10g Butter
- 1 Tbsp Mentaiko (spicy cod roe)
- 10g Butter
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare half a red chili pepper (or Cheongyang chili pepper if you prefer it spicier). Remove the seeds and mince it finely. This will add a nice aroma and a subtle kick to your dish, enhancing its overall flavor profile.
Step 2
Prepare 1 tablespoon of mentaiko. Here’s a tip for easily removing the casing: make a shallow slit down the middle of the mentaiko, then use the back of a knife to scrape away the roe. Once separated, mince the mentaiko roe finely.
Step 3
Cook 1 pack of ramen noodles in boiling water until they are ‘chewy’ or slightly firm (al dente). Overcooking will make the noodles mushy when mixed with the sauce later. So, drain them quickly as soon as they reach that perfectly firm texture, ensuring excess water is removed.
Step 4
Now, it’s time to sauté the mentaiko and chili. Melt 10g of butter in a heated pan over medium-low heat. Add the prepared mentaiko and minced chili, and sauté until fragrant. The mentaiko will become deliciously creamy and aromatic as it cooks in the butter.
Step 5
Once the mentaiko and chili are nicely sautéed, pour in 100ml of milk. Bring the milk to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer slightly to allow the sauce to thicken and meld with the other ingredients. The milk will help create a smooth, creamy sauce base.
Step 6
When the milk has reduced slightly and the sauce has reached a desirable consistency, add the cooked ramen noodles. Gently toss or stir the noodles in the sauce using a spatula or by shaking the pan, ensuring every strand is evenly coated. Once coated, remove from heat and plate immediately.
Step 7
Finally, crumble some roasted seaweed (gim) into small pieces and sprinkle generously over the top of the ramen. The crispy texture and savory umami from the seaweed will elevate the overall flavor of your mentaiko ramen. Enjoy your delicious late-night treat, Mentaiko Exercise!
