Experiment: Spicy Ginger Ramen

2 cups broth or stock
1 package ramen (sans seasoning packet)
couple tbls minced onion
1 clove of garlic
1/3 tsp ground ginger
1 dried tien tsin pepper
splash of rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion for a minute. Then add the garlic and the pepper. Add the stock, ginger, any salt and pepper that is needed and vinegar and bring it to a boil. Add the noodles and cook till done. Remove the pepper before serving.

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Part of my cold is some serious congestion, so naturally I wanted something spicy. I've had these kicking around for months, waiting for me to make kung pao chicken. I haven't gotten around to that yet, but when you want spicy they are the way to go. 60,000 heat units and they still have a lot of flavor. Good times, kids. So I decided to just wing it and make myself some spicy noodles. They came out really good. I used the chicken stock I got in my Emeril package from Foodbuzz (thanks Foodbuzz!).

I'm not really an Emeril fan, I'll admit it. He is a little too... much for me. I don't want to be yelled at while I'm cooking (apparently that's all cooking school is, according to my buddy who went to Johnson and Wales. So I'm glad I never went.) and I don't think yelling at the food makes it any better. Plus he reminds me a lot of a really obnoxious truck driver I used to work with. They're both from Fall River and sound exactly the same, right down to no volume control. Always using their outside voices. Anyway, the stock was good. Not as good as homemade, clearly, but better than the cheapo store brand stock my mom would buy if she didn't have any homemade on hand. I loved the horseradish mustard that came with it, but I haven't tried the spices yet.

Ok, cold medicine induced rambling aside, lets make some spicy noodles! It's wicked easy.

First I sauteed up the onion for a bit, then added the garlic and one (1) pepper. Just one. I could have done more and still been able to eat it, but one was just right. It burned a bit and cleared my sinuses up, but didn't keep me from from being able to taste the dish or promptly going back for more. I love spicy food, but if it's so spicy I can't taste it then what's the point? Oh and these are peppers that are best handled with gloves. Seriously. These little ladies aren't messing around. They aren't the hottest peppers in the world, but they're hotter than cayenne and jalapenos. Oh, and when you're sauteing you want to be careful that it doesn't break, that would move the dish from spicy to weapons grade. Just so you know. But once that's all set you want to add the stock. I tasted it and it wanted salt. Which is another tally on the plus side for the stock, it isn't wicked salty straight from the container. I also added a little black pepper, because I'm like that. And the ginger. I wish I had had fresh ginger for it, but I didn't. But fresh would have been amazing. The stock was quite rich too, also good, so I added a splash of vinegar to lighten it up. Then it was noodle time. I used Top Ramen, I think. I still have the seasoning packet that I didn't use kicking around somewhere, but it doesn't really matter. Any packaged ramen will do fine, this isn't haute cuisine here. But that's it, once the noodles are cooked, a great dish for when you are sick and want something spicy and light. It would be even lighter with broth instead of stock, if you're into that. Some bean sprouts or shredded carrot would have been nice too, or even some chopped cucumber.Oh and you do want to remove the pepper before you eat, even if you are using it as a garnish. Unless you're my dad, then go nuts. Heh.