Text excerpted from KOREAN FOOD MADE SIMPLE © 2016 by Judy Joo.

Reproduced by permission of
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

LATE-NIGHT NAUGHTY NOODLES

RAMYUN
MAKES 1 LARGE SERVING

Sometimes nothing hits the spot better than instant ramyun (Korean for ramen) and a cold beer.
Switching out the seasoning packet for some flavored stock, though, makes it much tastier and more
healthful. I also like to build it into a proper meal by pimping it out with some frozen shrimp or
dumplings (although you can certainly use fresh, too), veggies, meat—whatever I have on hand. Feel
free to adjust the spice level to your taste.

3 cups chicken stock

2 teaspoons gochujang (Korean chile paste)
1 teaspoon doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean chile flakes), plus more for serving (optional)
1 small fresh Korean red chile or Fresno chile, thinly sliced on an angle
1 package instant ramyun/ramen noodles, seasoning packet discarded
5 large peeled and deveined frozen shrimp
Handful of sugar snap peas or baby spinach
½ cup coarsely shredded cooked chicken
1 scallion, cut into 2-inch pieces, plus a large pinch of thinly sliced scallions for serving (optional)
1 large egg
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

IN A MEDIUM saucepan, combine the stock, chile paste, soybean paste, chile flakes, and chile and bring
to a boil over high heat, whisking occasionally to dissolve the soybean paste.

Open the package of noodles and, keeping the noodles in the bag, break them in half crosswise.

Put both halves into the boiling stock mixture. (I love to eat any remaining bits of noodles by shaking
them from the bag into my mouth.) Add the shrimp and sugar snap peas (if using; if you’re using
spinach, wait until the next step).

Bring the broth back to a boil and add the chicken and scallion. When the noodles are almost done,
about 5 minutes total, add the spinach (if using) and stir to wilt. Crack the egg into the saucepan and let
it poach, or give it a gentle stir to break it up and form egg ribbons. Eat your noodles straight from the
pot, or if you’re feeling fancy, transfer to a bowl and garnish with the sliced scallions, more chile flakes,
and pepper.