The Takeout: All about ramyeon, the Korean comfort food that’s more than just a trend
March 1, 2021
Over the last year, I can say with a clear conscience that I never once hoarded toilet paper. But I did stockpile instant Korean noodles, with no thought or care for those who might go without.
I’ve shamelessly elbowed my way through the aisles to pluck the last packets off the shelves of my local Korean grocery store here in Paris, and filled my online shopping cart with as many instant noodles as possible. Because just as it is for most Koreans, ramyeon is my comfort food. The Korean version of boxed Kraft mac and cheese, if you will (or Kraft Dinner if you’re Canadian).
Korean ramyeon is also spelled as ramyun, though the former further differentiates itself from Japanese noodles, or ramen. And while some products are branded as “ramen” over “ramyeon” (Jin Ramen is a good example), if it’s a product of Korea from a leading manufacturer like Nongshim, Samyang and Ottogi, it’s ramyeon. For the uninitiated it’s important to note that Korean instant ramyeon is worlds away from the Cup Noodle or the outdated Sapporo Ichiban brands, both of which are all salt and little flavor. One of my pet peeves is seeing online recipes for “instant ramen hacks” that use these insipid varieties as a base. Because for the same price, maybe a few pennies more, you can dive into a bowl of hot, spicy, soul-soothing soupy noodles in an umami-rich broth that tastes like it’s been simmering for hours instead of five minutes. And the world, it seems, is catching on.
More at https://thetakeout.com/all-about-ramyeon-the-korean-comfort-food-that-s-more-1846338956
