Buldak Ramen

With less water than you think, boiling on high heat, the wavy cut noodles start to simmer. Take your wooden chopsticks, not metal, not the ones you get at Chinese takeout, but the wooden chopsticks that you can buy and reuse by washing them, and gently tap the top of the noodles that float. If the noodles feel just soft enough for it to wave in the water, start separating the noodles with the ends of your chopsticks. 

You want the noodles to be slightly undercooked for a chewy texture. Once you feel like your ancestors have told you to turn off the heat, strain the water out, but leave just enough for it to cover the bottom of the pot. Turn on the heat again to a low simmer, and add the cheese powder first. Then the spicy packet, and add ALL of it, don’t be a coward. Stir gently, so that the noodles don’t stick to the bottom of the pot, and add a hefty amount of cheese on top. Your cheese options are shredded mozzarella or the one with both shredded cheddar and mozzarella, if your mom buys the wrong one. But, if you're out of both those options and all you have is the square cutouts of who knows what it really is, add one slice. One slice makes it cheesy enough, but doesn’t ruin the flavor of your ramen with that awful American cheese taste. 

Keep stirring, and add more cheese until every single noodle is coated. An addictive, and ultimately not healthy smell, will arise. Sit down on your favorite chair, and eat straight from the pot. The chewy, stewy, cheesy, spicy noodles will get you salivating. Savor every bite, because I notice that the noodles go away quicker than I want them to. If you're still a noob at eating Buldak by now, pair it with banana milk. Preferably, the one in the yellow carton that is overpriced at H-Mart. Scrape every last noodle bit off the pot, and sometimes, if you're lucky, you will be left with some extra sauce that developed from your precise cheese measurements. 

Toss anything that is in your freezer into your air fryer. Frozen rice cakes, fish sticks, cheese sticks, bread, or even imitation crab. Whatever it is, be patient till it's ready and eat it with the rest of your spicy Buldak sauce.

Eat this when you specifically get a chance to be home alone. It’s even better if you're alone for a very long period. If you're bold enough, bring your pot of steaming hot Buldak upstairs to your room. Turn on your favorite show or movie, and bring all the things you need for this meal so you don’t have to go back downstairs. I would recommend tissues and ice. It gets a bit spicy. Most importantly, enjoy your meal. Even if it’s just instant ramen, you worked hard to make it, and it's a hearty meal for a broken heart, anxiety, and depression.

7/20/2025