By Daniel Troise, Marketing Intern, SEMCA

**NOTE:   The Sharp 30″ Drop-In Radiant Cooktop (SDH3042DB) or the 24″ Drop-In Radiant Cooktop (SCR2442FB) are not sold in Canada, however these recipes will work on any stovetop.

Last year at this time, I was on a plane coming back from Montreal, logging into my email to see if the travel company to see if they got the last payment for my 2-week excursion through China. Flash forward 12 months later (you can see where this is going), I am laying in my bed under a blanket going through virtual tours of the Great Wall of China online. The bottom line is this; we have seen many changes over the past year, and those who love to travel have had to put their plans on hold while the world heals. While I can’t be eating a pasta dish in Italy or zip-lining through Costa Rica, there is no reason that we can’t tap into our cultural side through fine cuisine by one of the best chefs I know (yes, that is you!)

One of my resolutions for the new year is to try new foods and get a bit more innovative in the kitchen. Looking through Pinterest boards and reading numerous food blogs, I have found a new uplifting trend of transforming basic Ramen into a culturally appetizing meal. While I viewed Ramen as a quick and simple meal in the past to avoid a lot of meal prep and time, it makes sense to take a guilty pleasure of mine to the next level.

Throughout this Ramen recipe roundup, I plan to showcase some of my most favored recipes containing Ramen derived from countries around the world. From stops in Europe, Asia, and Africa, we will travel to these exotic and breathtaking destinations through these amazing cuisines and creations.

East Asian Ramen Noodles

The first time I was introduced to ramen noodles was my freshman year of college when I had $4 to my name, and they were one of the most affordable things on the shelves. While that chapter has ended in my life, they continue to be a guilty pleasure of mine and something I enjoy whipping up in the kitchen when my stomach begins to growl. Between the amazing taste and the simplicity behind the preparation, I am looking forward to sharing with you some interesting takes on ramen to take it up a notch.

To start our journey worldwide, I want to share this amazing recipe from “Self-Proclaimed Foodie” calling for Asian Ramen Noodles. I decided to start with more of a traditional (but tasty) option to ease into this roundup.

So, what do you say, want to create a flavorful dish in under 20 minutes? Rummage through your kitchen cabinets and head on over to the grocery store to find the obvious ramen noodles (8 oz.), toasted sesame oil (2 teaspoons), minced garlic (2 cloves), grated ginger (1 teaspoon), soy sauce (3 tablespoons). You will also want to have a tablespoon of each of the following: fish sauce, sesame seeds, brown sugar, and a ½ teaspoon of chili paste.

I know all those ingredients sound tasty, and in a span of 10 minutes, you are going to go from a countertop spread out to a delicious meal on the table. Don’t believe me? Set the timer and go!

1. Grab a pot from your kitchen and boil the Ramen noodles in water. If you follow the packaging directions (without the seasoning), it should take approximately 4 minutes. Once it is good to go, drain it and set it aside.
2. Take the sesame oil and heat it using a saucepan or a small skillet (either one will work). Over medium heat will be ideal.
3. Next, you are going to want to cook the ginger and garlic. This will take about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Head over to the counter and gather the soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame seeds, brown sugar, and chili paste. Take the pan off from the heat and whisk it together.
5. Finally, take the drained noodles and mix them with the newfound (and yummy) sauce. If you feel a little gourmet, feel free to garnish the topping with green onion and additional sesame seeds.

Spicy Korean (Ramen) Noodles

While I know we have already traveled to Eastern Asia through this ramen recipe roundup, I decided that it may be the best thing to take a layover in Korea before heading to other international hotspots. Personally, I have always had a strong interest in South Korean culture, and included in their culture is the food. When I was 5 years old, two of my best friends were twins born in South Korea, and throughout our friendships, I was slowly introduced to the Korean way of life.

Given this background and as a tribute to my friends, I have decided that it would be perfect to showcase the Spicy Korean Beach Ramen Noodles recipe from “Crème de la Crumb.” After you are done putting this masterpiece together, you will probably wonder why it isn’t photographed and on a major food television network. This under 30-minute recipe from start to finish has already been proven to be a tasty option for many, with people quoting it as an “easy and flavorful dish recipe” and “I went back for seconds.” If that isn’t enough for you to already be non your way to the kitchen, someone even rated it “20 stars”.

You know the drill, put on a mask and head on over to the grocery market or place your order on your phone and pick up a flank steak (1 lb.), gochujang (4 tablespoons), and two tablespoons of the following: thinly sliced green onions, oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar. Also, make sure you add ground ginger (1 teaspoon), sesame oil (1 tablespoon), beef ramen with seasoning (2 packages), a ½ thinly sliced white onion, and a ½ of sliced mushrooms to your cart. Lastly, make sure you have 4 tablespoons of each, minced garlic, and sugar.

1. Grab a small bowl and gather the gochujang, green onions, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and sugar to whisk it together.
2. Go in your drawer and grab a large Ziploc bag, pouring half of the whisked mixture into it, adding the in the steak. Seal it and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Cover up the remaining sauce and place it in the refrigerator. Keep it nearby as we will use it soon.
3. Next, take the oil and drizzle it onto a large pan over medium heat. Take the steak and the Ziploc bag out of the fridge and use tongs to place the steak (keep everything else in the bag) in the pan. Cook it on each side for approximately 5-8 minutes until it looks brown on the outside.
4. Once the steak is good to go, place it on a large cutting board. Now, remember that bag I said to keep nearby. Place the remaining marinade and the onions, mushrooms, ramen noodles, and ramen seasoning into the pan with water until it simmers. Allow it to cook for about 5-7 minutes.
5. Head on back to the steak and slice it thinly across the grain. Take the steak strip and place it in the remaining sauce you placed in the fridge, stirring everything together. Cook it until the steak is hot throughout the garnish for a few minutes. Serve it (add green onions for extra taste) and enjoy!

Italian Style Chicken Ramen

It was set up perfectly, a family vacation to Italy set for the summer. Between my parent’s milestone wedding anniversary and birthdays within a short amount of time, we decided that it was finally time to do something we have always talked about. That was a family vacation to Italy. Between my parent and all my grandparents being born in the US, my great grandparents immigrated to this country from Italy; therefore, my roots have been a bit distant. While I was all set and began planning for one of the best trips ever, you know what happened (yes, a global pandemic), and the trip was put on hiatus.

While I may not be jetting off for a fun-filled week at the Amalfi Coast, I figured I would do the next best thing and visit the boot-shaped country through this recipe roundup. If you have followed my work and recipe highlights on Simply Better Living, you probably find no surprise that I included an Italian-style dish within it. Dubbed as a “classic chicken ramen bowl with an Italian twist,” it is surely a win in the kitchen. Join me in the journey on how to make

Between the broth and the topping, we will need quite a few items, so let’s jump into it. To start with the broth, we will want to make sure we grab a shopping cart and put in extra virgin olive oil (2 tablespoons), a ½ cup of the following: diced celery, diced carrots, diced onions, and then salt (2 teaspoons). You are also going to want to add fresh ground pepper (1 teaspoon), red pepper flakes (1 tablespoon), chopped garlic in water (1 tablespoon), 2 anchovy fillets, 4 thyme sprigs, 2 basil springs, chicken stock (64 oz.), and a pound of noodles.

This is already sounding yummy, and I haven’t even gotten to the toppings yet. For this, you are going to need 4 large eggs, a shredded rotisserie chicken blanches broccolini (1 lb.), thinly sliced radishes (1/2 lb.), and diced white and green onions.

Let’s begin!

1. Grab a large saucepan and heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Then cook the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper until they are soft. This should take approximately 8 minutes. Once ready, add the red pepper flakes, anchovies, thyme, and basil and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
2. Make sure to reduce the heat and add in the chicken stock, simmering it for approximately 20 minutes. After that, make sure to remove the basil and thyme before you add in the noodles.
3. Next, grab an additional large pot and boil up some water (add some salt to make it boil a bit faster). Once boiling, add in the eggs and cook them for about 5 minutes. Additionally, while the eggs cook, grabs a large bowl and fills it with cold water; once the 5 minutes is up, place the eggs in the bowl carefully and give it about 2 minutes to cool down. Peel the eggs and halve them the long way.
4. Finally, place the noodles and broth into bowls, topping each of them with chicken, broccolini, radishes, green onions, and egg halves.

Nigerian Beef and Ramen Noodle Pepper Soup

For many years, one of my dream vacation destinations has been to spend some time and travel throughout the entire continent of Africa. Between swimming with Great White Sharks in Cape Town, feeding giraffes at dinner in Kenya, the countless safaris, and everything in between. While all these are amazing landscapes, I believe that our next destination will be Nigeria’s green jungles. While we can’t hop on a truck and view these beautiful gifts from Mother Nature, we can imagine ourselves there through the amazing cuisine (while getting to cure our spice tooth).

One of my new year’s resolutions is to venture around the globe (virtually, of course) and research and taste some amazing recipes and dishes from continents around the world. So, when I thought of an around the world concept for this recipe roundup, I ran with it and was able to find this taste worthy Nigerian Beef and Ramen Noodle Pepper Soup from “Foods From Africa.” This flavorful and low-calorie creation is perfect for any occasion. Hey, the occasion could be right now, right?

Head on over to your local market and get some ingredients for the bone broth and pepper soup. For the broth, make sure to pick up grass-fed beef bones (2 kg.), 2 tablespoons of each alligator pepper, Jamaican nutmeg, and African negro pepper. 3 carrots, 2 onions, and garlic clove (yum!).

For the pepper soup, ensure that you have a bone broth (1.5 liters), grass-fed beef fillet (400 g.), Thai basil (50 g.), and ramen noodles (240 g.). Also, be sure to pick up another onion, garlic clove, a beef stock cube, and de-seeded scotch bonnet pepper. Are you ready?

Bone Broth

1. First, take out a Dutch oven and place the beef bones within it, covering it with cold water. Set it on high heat for approximately 20 minutes allowing for the bone to simmer. Once ready, remove the heat and drain the liquid.
2. Next, you are going to preheat your oven to 350°C, placing all the bones you have blanched on a baking sheet, and roast them until they are brown. This should take about 40-50 minutes.
3. Take the bones and place them into the Dutch Oven, adding about 4 liters of water and all of the spices, including alligator pepper, negro pepper, and Jamaican nutmeg. Set it to bring a low boil and take away any scum that may rise to the top. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for approximately 6-12 hours, ensuring enough water to keep the bones covered. Trust me; it will be worth the wait.
4. Approximately 3 hours towards the simmering end, add in the onions, garlic, and carrots, letting it simmer for 3-4 hours.
5. Finally, you are going to discard the bones and strain them through a sieve. Let it cool, then take out a mason jar or a large secure bowl, placing it in the freezer. The coolest part? If you plan on using it beyond a week later, you can place it in s secure freezer bag and use it up to 6 months later if unopened!

Peppercorn Soup

1. First, you can prepare your fillet of beef to cook by rubbing a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil over the meat. For a little kick, add some salt and black pepper (I know I would, but it is totally up to you).
2. Grab a skillet and place it on your Sharp 30″ Drop-In Radiant Cooktop. In there, you will want to add a teaspoon of olive oil, giving it a few minutes to warm up.
3. When ready, transfer the beef into the pan and let it fry for approximately 5 minutes, constantly turning the meat. This will make sure each side is properly browned (and each bite is tasty). Once the 5 minutes is up, please remove it from the cooktop and cover it, setting it aside.
4. Next, you will want to preheat your oven to about 375 degrees and add the chopped onions and garlic into a skillet for about 2-3 minutes. To help make the pan a bit less sticky, throw in a tiny bit of bone broth and place everything from the skillet to the Dutch oven.
5. Add in the bone broth, stock cube, scotch bonnet pepper, and salt, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer cover for 15 – 20 minutes. After that, place the browned fillet in the oven, allowing it to roast for approximately 10 minutes.
6. While everything is getting all roasted and tasty, now would be a great time to prepare the Ramen noodles. Utilize the package instructions and follow them accordingly, not overcooking them (slightly al-dente is key). Remove the beef from the oven and slice into about half-inch-thick slices. It should be rare (and delicious).
7. Finally, take the beef slices, chopped basil, and ramen noodles and place them in the Dutch oven. Let it simmer for about 3-5 minutes and enjoy!

Tahini Miso Ramen with Crispy Tofu

We have one last travel voucher left in our pack and one place for a stamp left on our passport. Can you guess where we will visit next? I’ll give you a hint; it has beautiful hills and sands, as well as a rich culture. We are going to the Middle East! While I have never been personally, I have heard nothing but great things about the beautiful and innovative villages and cities through close friends of mine. Therefore, it will be the perfect place to end our trip. The next dish and the final dish we will introduce contain Tahini, a Middle Eastern condiment.

This tasteful Tahini Miso Ramen with Crispy Tofu from “Soom Foods.” I usually try to include a vegan option to cater to all my readers, and this one is interchangeable. If you take out the egg ingredient, BAM, you have a vegan dish! And speaking of ingredients, let’s grab a few.

For the crispy tofu, we are going to want to pick up a block of extra firm tofu (14 oz.), a tablespoon of each, including olive oil, soy sauce, and cornstarch, salt (1/4 tsp), and pepper (1/4 pepper). For the yummy mushrooms, we will want to grab some additional olive oil (2 tsp), a package of cremini mushrooms, and salt and pepper.

Don’t worry, we need one more round of groceries, and then we are off to whip it up in the kitchen. For the ramen, make sure to grab ramen noodle (2 packages), olive oil (2 tsp), toasted sesame oil (2 tsp), minced cloves garlic (2), a tablespoon of both freshly grated ginger and white miso paste, vegetable broth (5 cups), and some salt (1/2 tsp). Also, find room in the cart for Tahini (1/4 cup), toasted sesame oil (1 tsp), soy sauce (2 tbsp), rice wine vinegar (2 tsp), soft boiled eggs (2), thinly sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, and sesame seeds.

Now that you have rummaged through all your cabinets, let’s get started!

1. First, we are going to start by making the crispy tofu by preheating the oven at 425 degrees F. Press the block of extra firm tofu using a dish towel to remove the water, and cut it into 1/2”-3/4” cubes placing them on a baking sheet tossed with tofu, olive oil, and soy sauce until coated. Add in cornstarch, salt, and pepper and toss that in as well until the whole thing is covered and coated. Bake it for approximately 30-35 minutes, tossing it while cooking (only once) until it is crispy and brown.
2. Heat a non-stick skillet and place it over medium heat for the mushrooms. Once it is hot, add cremini mushrooms and sauté it for about 8-10 minutes. Make sure that you stir it occasionally until the edges are golden brown. If you want to add a bit of taste, season it with salt and pepper.
3. Next, take a soup pot and place it on your Drop-In Radiant Cooktop over medium-high heat, adding some olive and sesame oil. Once it begins to heat up, add in garlic and ginger, sautéing it until fragrant (for approximately 30 minutes)—Cook for an additional 1 minute adding in white miso paste, and stir it constantly.
4. Add and combine in vegetable broth, tahini, salt. Then raise the heat to a high, and once brought to a boil, utilize the package instructions to add in the ramen noodles. Once cooked, add in and stir the sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar. Feel free to add salt for an extra kick (totally up to you).
5. Finally, place the ramen into bowls, top it off with the crispy tofu, sautéed mushrooms, 2 soft boiled eggs, thinly sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!