Whenever I don’t have time to prepare anything for dinner, I usually take out a pouch of ramen noodles and pop it into the microwave oven. But the problem is I don’t usually like how it tastes like coming from an aluminum pouch. So, the solution is to make this into something more tasteful for me.

This recipe is good for four persons, and it actually involves a pot for you to cook a microwaveable, ready-to-eat noodle cup. I know you probably think I’m crazy but you gotta try this one.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

2 packages ramen noodles (discard the flavor packets)

1/2 cup dried mushrooms, chopped

20 raw shrimp (medium to large), peeled and deveined

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 quart vegetable broth

1/2 cup mirin

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 teaspoons sesame oil

Procedure:

- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, break each ramen packet in half, so you have four sections of ramen. Tear off four foot-long sections of aluminum foil. Divide the four sections of ramen onto the four pieces of aluminum foil.

- Top each ramen section with a quarter of the mushrooms, shrimp, onions, scallions, red pepper flakes, and salt.

- Fold in the sides and corners of the aluminum foil to create a little boat for the ramen. Leave a hole in the middle and pour a quarter of the broth, mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil into each pouch. Crimp the top a little more, leaving just a tiny hole. Place on a baking tray in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

The dried mushrooms, chilis and onions in this dish made the Alton Brown pouch more delicious than it already is. Also, you cannot deny that it made the recipe more appealing to the eyes.