In this dish:
- scallions
- red bell pepper
- garlic
- fresh ginger
- sesame seeds
- eggs
- vegetable oil
- salt
- red pepper flakes
- soy sauce
- ramen noodles
- lime
// Serves two
I’m writing this on the eve of Thanksgiving, and while this dish bears no resemblance to anything you’d find at a traditional harvest feast, it’s still relevant to the holiday. Why?
It makes for an ideal post-binge bite, thanks largely to the powers of fresh ginger.
Do you know that ginger is a wonder root? It helps the body fight off germs, it’s got antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it can help relieve indigestion, and it generally aids in digestion.
Digestion, people.
That means if you took one too many laps around the Thanksgiving table, ginger’s an excellent choice for recovery (as are naps—really!). Make ginger tea using the root itself and a bit of honey, or buy yourself some ginger tea bags (I like the lemon ginger stuff by Yogi). And when you’re ready for a recovery meal, this one sits light. Thanks to some heat from the garlic and ginger and a burst of acid from the lime, it’s like hitting a reset button after what’s likely to be an unapologetic ravaging of the horn of plenty.
And if none of that is incentive enough to try this dish, let me ask you this: have you ever grated a hard-boiled egg?
Well, heck. I think I’ve made my point.
Ingredients:
1 bunch scallions, white bulbs chopped into small coins, green stems cut into larger sections
Half a bell pepper, sliced
Two cloves garlic, chopped
3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
½ tablespoon sesame seeds
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
pinch of salt and red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 packs ramen noodles (6 oz total)
lime wedge
Directions:
1. Chop the scallions, red bell pepper, garlic, and ginger.
2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. While it heats up, toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan or stirring the seeds frequently. Take them off the heat once they appear golden brown, which should take 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. Carefully set two eggs into the pot of boiling water. Let them cook in gently boiling water for 10 minutes. Then transfer them to a bowl of ice-cold water for 3 to 5 minutes. Peel and set aside.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet. Once it’s hot, throw in the garlic, ginger, and chopped white parts of scallions. Season with salt and red pepper flakes.
5. Once the scallions have cooked down and the garlic and ginger are golden, add to the skillet the red bell pepper and the larger green sections of the scallions. Season with salt. After the vegetables have cooked down a bit, add the soy sauce and cook for another minute or two.
6. To cook the ramen noodles, boil water in a tea kettle and pour it over the noodle blocks. Let the ramen sit in the hot water for a minute or two until tender. (You can also boil a pot of water and add the dried ramen to it.)
7. Drain the water and toss the ramen into the wok with the vegetables. Then divide into bowls for serving.
8. Grate an egg over each bowl of noodles. Top with sesame seeds and a lime wedge.
There you have it: a nice welcome back from turkeypiepotato town.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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