Midnight Instant Ramen (宵夜公仔麵)
Easily level up your late night snacks
My boyfriend and I came home around midnight from hanging out with one of our friends this week. We had such a good conversation and laughed so much that we realized only once we got back that we were actually starving. I rummaged through the cupboards and the fridge and realized I had everything I needed to make what I call midnight instant ramen, or 宵夜公仔麵 (siu1 je6 gung1 zai2 min6). 宵夜, or siu yeh, is the term Hong Kongers and people in other southern Chinese communities use to refer to a midnight meal or snack. The phrase has been actively in use since the Tang Dynasty. Restaurants and dai pai dongs throughout the city open their doors to the late night crowd so that customers can grab noodles, jook, fried and stir-fried seafood, fish balls, and even dim sum as late as three or four in the morning. I feel that this recipe honors that tradition, especially if you make it for others.
The second part of the name of this recipe, 公仔麵, means “Doll Noodles,” which is what everyone around me growing up called instant ramen because it’s the name of a popular brand in Hong Kong. (It’s a proprietary eponym kind of like how sometimes people just call a tissue “a Kleenex” here.)
When my mom wanted to eat a midnight snack and didn’t mind putting in a little extra effort, she usually made a version of this recipe while watching TV. The smell always drew me out from my room so I could beg for a few bites. It was my first introduction to getting creative with instant ramen. I learned that we weren’t the only ones who remixed the ramen formula when I went to a friend’s apartment for dinner one night during my sophomore year of college. These apartments were generally very quiet and relegated to the farther corners of campus. The apartments were literally and almost aggressively gray, inside and out. I imagined that if I lived there, I would feel kind of lonely, but the tempting part, in my mind, was that you had a kitchen to yourself. I watched my friend boil the Shin ramen and throw in not only the flavor packet it came with but soy sauce, chili oil, and fish sauce until the ramen turned golden. As a finishing touch, he cracked a couple eggs into the spiced water to poach them. Needless to say, it was delicious.
Since then, I’ve met a few other people who have their own “house” instant ramen recipe. I see it as a window into their pantry staples, which vary so fascinatingly from person to person. I think it makes the perfect midnight snack — low effort with high, umami-filled rewards. This recipe is a reflection of my pantry, and it’s kind of loosey-goosey because it’s meant to be easy! I encourage you to look through your pantry and try to make your own “house” instant ramen.
I hope you enjoy the way I riffed off my mom’s recipe!
the recipe
Serves 2
Ingredients:
3-4 stalks of scallions
2 packets instant ramen of your choice
5 garlic cloves
Soy sauce to taste
Oyster sauce to taste
Sesame oil to taste
1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
Par-boil the noodles: Set a pot of water on high to boil. Once it’s boiling, throw in the noodles and cook until they’re around halfway done (no need to be too precise). These will be stir-fried later, and we want to make sure they’re still somewhat springy by the end. Drain and set aside.
Prepare the produce: While the water is boiling and the noodles are cooking, chop the scallions into 2-3 inch pieces. Julienne the white parts if you’d like. Mince the garlic.
Stir-fry: This part happens fast, so have all your sauces ready. Heat up a wok or large pan to medium high heat. Add the garlic and scallions and stir-fry until fragrant and even a little charred. De-glaze with soy sauce. Add the noodles and continue to stir-fry. Add oyster sauce and sesame oil to taste.
Garnish and serve: Plate and add your choice of garnishes — chili oil and/or sesame seeds make great toppings. You could top it with a fried egg for some protein. Serve.
‘Til next time,
Shannon