Slice half an onion into thin strips. Cut a portion of the cabbage with the core intact into one thick slice, and thinly shred the rest.
Boil water in a pot, add the ramyeon noodles and vegetable flakes, and cook. Once the noodles loosen, immediately drain, reserving some of the cooking water, and set aside.
Heat cooking oil in a pan, place the thick cabbage slice with the core attached, sprinkle a little ramyeon seasoning powder, and cook until deep brown on both sides to make a cabbage steak. Set aside.
Add a little more oil to the pan, then stir-fry the shredded onion and cabbage until they are deeply golden and almost burnt, creating a smoky flavor.
Place the boiled ramyeon noodles on top of the stir-fried vegetables, then add half of the ramyeon seasoning powder first.
Add 3-4 tablespoons of the reserved noodle water and stir-fry well so the seasoning coats the noodles. If you want a deeper color, add 1 tablespoon of gochugaru (optional).
Transfer the stir-fried ramyeon to a plate, top with the prepared cabbage steak, and finish with tonkatsu sauce and sesame seeds.
Boil the ramyeon noodles and drain. Cut a portion of the cabbage thickly, and shred the rest along with the onion.
In a pan, sear the thick cabbage slice with a sprinkle of seasoning powder. Then stir-fry the remaining vegetables until smoky.
Add the ramyeon noodles, half of the seasoning powder, and some noodle water. Stir-fry, then top with the seared cabbage and tonkatsu sauce.
Cooking tips 💡
Stir-fry the shredded onion and cabbage until almost burnt to bring out a deep, smoky flavor reminiscent of jjajangmyeon.
If you add all the seasoning powder at once, it may become too salty, so it's best to add half first and adjust to taste.
Keeping the cabbage core intact when searing maximizes its crunchy texture and subtle sweetness, giving it a steak-like appeal.
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