I just got back from an amazing walk. The temperature was perfect at a nice cool 60 degrees, the birds were singing, and a beautiful assortment of tulips soaked up the sun. A walk on a day like today is good for clearing my head. So, now I’m home with a full cup of coffee, ready to tell you about this fantastic recipe that I conjured up.
I recently came across organic black rice (forbidden rice) ramen noodles at my co-op. You may remember this recipe that has black rice. Or this one, with a bit of a Spring twist. I love black rice– it’s ridiculously healthy. So, when I found it in pasta form, I was excited. I generally use brown rice noodles, so I’m thrilled to have another healthy option. Fear not, if you can’t find black rice ramen– most any thin pasta will work here–regular ramen, vermicelli, angel hair pasta, just about anything really.
This is a really quick dinner that can be whipped-up in about 20 minutes. It’s versatile in that it can be served hot or cold, which is a nice option for the upcoming warmer months. It’s also versatile in that you can pair any of your favorite vegetables with it and it will be fantastic. Red peppers come to mind. I’m on a broccoli kick…still. And so are my kids, so that’s what I went with. The vegetables can be roasted, quickly sautéed, or even raw. You decide. I generally roast mine, but I know that will stop with the summer heat. The sauce is simple and packed with flavor. The sesame, garlic, ginger, and scallions all compliment one another. The sauce is light– it barely coats the noodles and vegetables. I didn’t want it loaded with oil (read calories), but I still wanted it potent. When you toss all of the ingredients together, make sure to reserve a bit of pasta water. You can use that to loosen everything up, if necessary. Be sure to taste and re-season with more soy sauce or sesame oil, if you want a bit more punch. Hope you enjoy! We sure did.
The Recipe: Black Rice Ramen with Sesame Garlic Ginger Scallion Sauce
(serves 2)
2 squares of ramen, (about 5 ounces total)
2 tablespoons olive oil or peanut, if you have it
4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hoisin sauce
4 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 scallions, thinly sliced
handful of broccoli and crimini mushrooms, bite-size
sesame seeds and chopped peanuts for garnish
(Note: This meal comes together rather quickly– you’ll need to work fast and be attentive.)
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Bring a medium sauce pan filled with water to a boil.
On a baking sheet, roast the broccoli and mushrooms for 3-4 minutes, or until slightly tender. Remove from oven. Place the ramen in the boiling water and keep a watchful eye. It will only need about 5 minutes to cook. Test along the way. Reserve some cooking water. When tender, drain.
Meanwhile, in a medium-sized skillet over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil and add the ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes until aromatic. Then add the vinegar, hoisin, sesame oil, and soy sauce and whisk together until warmed through. Add most of the scallions, reserving a few for garnish. Sauté for 30 seconds. Toss in the vegetables and then the ramen. Use tongs to toss everything together. Loosen with 1-2 tablespoons of pasta water, if need be. Taste. Re-season with soy sauce and sesame oil, if desired. Top with sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, and reserved scallions. If wanting to make a cold version, run the pasta under cold water. You may need a bit more oil to loosen the pasta, if cold. Enjoy!
Thanks for stopping by Relishing It today!
Laurie
I have never heard of black rice ramen before! SUPER interesting. and I love the idea of mixing up ramen with a tangy sauce for an easy hot-weather dinner. Yay!
Thanks, Eileen. Let me know if you try it. 🙂
Wow, that black rice ramen looks intense. Gorgeous recipe, I’d love to try!
I hope you do!
Looks awesome. Never seen black rice ramen. I will need to try it.
Thanks, Isidro!
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Hi this is so interesting I just wanted know since I recently purchased black rice noodles but it had like 400 mg of sodium I think that’s a lot, so my question is what brand were using and how much sodium is in there I’m really trying to stay fit and reduce my sodium intake… thank u so much btw I’m definitely going to use this recipe it looks so yummy!!
Gosh, I can’t say for certain, but they did not seem salty at all. I bought them at our co-op and most everything there is fairly healthy.
This was delicious! I had some black rice ramen in my cupboard and am so fortunate to have found this recipe! I will definitely be making it again! 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that, Hillary!
Delicious!
From your recipe I added sliced jalapeno and doubled the hosin sauce and topped it off with honey roasted peanuts. Did I say delicious?!