Cheese on Ramyun: Why It Makes Sense
If you’re reading this article, you’re probably trying to understand why this weird food combo even exists.
The fact of the matter is that Koreans and Korean-Americans have been putting cheese on ramyun for decades.
The First Encounter
I originally learned of this cheesy trick from my dad, who frequently traveled to Korea on business trips. One day, he was home and decided to have one of our favourite family breakfasts: Shin Ramyun.
Once he had his bowl of Shin and sweat napkin* carefully placed in front of him, he walked over to the fridge and grabbed a Kraft Single. I watched in horror as he began to unpeel the square of artificial orange and lay it over the steaming bed of noodles.
Still, watching in horror, I began to see the cheese seep into the nooks and crannies of the bowl. He prodded at the noodles slightly with his chopsticks then proceeded to slurp them into his mouth — the louder the better — forehead instantly glistening from the steam of the broth and early-onset spice sweats.
Fast forward 20 years and a few MSG overdoses later, I’ve become a global ambassador for cheesy ramyun.
*A napkin to be used for ‘spice sweats.’
Why Does It Taste So Good?
Especially when adding it to spicy ramyun (which is how it should be), the cheese adds the perfect level of creaminess to the broth and while subtly enhances the flavour of the spice.
Don’t worry — you can’t really taste the cheese. Think of it like the creamer to a great cup of coffee. Something about that creaminess just adds an unexplainable, addictable oomph.
If you’re still not convinced, here’s what others have to say about it:
Where Did It Come From?
Cheesy ramyun may be a convenience-driven descendent from its older brother: budae-jjigae. Budae-jjigae, or ‘army stew,’ originated in South Korea during the Korean War. Food was extremely scarce and bellies were hungry.
In order to help feed their families, Koreans learned to use the surplus food from the US army bases. Hotdogs, Spam, baked beans, and — you guessed it — American cheese quickly started to make their way into Korean stews.
I guess the fusion meal was a hit because budae-jjigae continues to be the ultimate comfort food for many Koreans.
Are you cheesy ramyun fan? Leave me your thoughts below.
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