Anime and Ramen Party/Date
Is it Saturday night, you have less than $20 for entertainment, and you have a bored group of friends? Open up your favorite streaming service, some ramen, and your microwave to turn tonight into a great night! Naruto will definitely approve.
*Chicken Tempura Ramen with steamed veggies and a boiled egg
Ingredients (from Walmart)
- Chicken Nuggets ($5.97, 32oz bag - approx. 32 nuggets)
- Chicken Ramen ($0.30, pack)
- Asian Chopped Salad Kit with Teriyaki Sauce ($3.98, 10.6oz bag)
- Pre-Boiled Eggs ($2.96, 6-pack)
Total cost per meal (pre-tax): approx. $1.45; $14.71 for 6 servings)
Have on Hand
- Fridge
- Microwave
- Microwave-safe bowls or tupperware
- Microwave-safe plate
- Forks
- Cooking oil or butter (optional)
- Salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you prefer
- Plastic wrap
Notes
Ramen is a comfort food in Asian culture.
It can be prepared in a variety of ways, with an endless amount of ingredients, spices, and herbs. Almost always, there is a vegetable and protein component.
While not exactly the same, tempura-style foods in Japan are those items which have been battered and fried - so, chicken nuggets work just fine in place of a traditional tempura-style chicken, especially when you're on a tight budget.
Directions
- Add the Asian chopped salad to a microwave-safe bowl (do not use the sauce pouch yet).
- Sprinkle the veggies with a few tablespoons of water, some salt, pepper, and any other preferred seasonings to taste (butter or oil is optional).
- Cover with plastic wrap or a vented lid and microwave for approx. 3 minutes, or until vegetables reach your desired softness (cook longer if needed). Remove carefully and set aside.
- While the vegetables are cooking, take your pre-boiled eggs, rinse and dry them, then slice them length-wise in half.
- Microwave the chicken nuggets on a microwave safe dish, following the cooking instructions on the packaging. Remove carefully and set aside (you may need to cook the chicken nuggets in batches).
- In separate microwave-safe bowls, add 1 pack of ramen and recommended amount of water (set aside the seasoning pouch).
- Place in microwave and cook for 3 and a half minutes.
- Carefully remove the ramen bowl from the microwave (it will be hot!). You may drain your ramen or leave in the excess water as broth, then stir in your seasoning pouch.
- Now, place a large pinch of veggies on the top-middle of your bowl of ramen, then add 2 egg halves and 5-6 chicken nuggets along the edge.
- Finally, drizzle your desired amount of the teriyaki sauce from the salad kit atop your bowl.
Voila! You just made a fantastic bowl of ramen for $1.45 that would cost you $14 at a ramen restaurant in Kentucky. Even better? You didn't have to leave your dorm, you get to hang out with your friends, and you get to watch a fantastic anime while relaxing.
In anime fashion, play Rock, Paper, Scissors (Janken) to determine who gets to wash the dishes at the end. Following Japanese culture, the host and chef should be excluded from cleanup if it's a large dinner party (6+ people). Be a polite guest.
Sayonara!
