Fried Ramen Noodle Sugar Ketchup

Here's a unique recipe that brings back memories of my school days in Korea. Back then, Korean elementary schools often had street food stalls nearby, offering a variety of snacks like sweet and spicy tteokbokki, skewered spicy rice cakes, and Korean-style corn dogs.

Among all these delicious options, one of the most popular snacks was fried ramen. It was simple yet so satisfying. The vendor would fry a block of ramen noodles, let it cool, sprinkle it with sugar, and drizzle it with ketchup. It was served on a thick piece of paper, making it easy to enjoy on the go.

Unfortunately, these street food stalls have mostly disappeared from neighborhoods near schools in Korea, making this nostalgic treat harder to find. (Although, you might still come across it at some Korean-style pubs, or pocha.)

But don't worry-you can recreate this crispy, sweet, and tangy snack easily at home with just a few ingredients. Here's how!

Components

ramen

The ramen needs to be fried to achieve its best crispy texture. Frying it a second time enhances the crunch and brings out a toasted, nutty flavor while removing the raw flour taste. While deep-frying in oil works perfectly, using an air fryer is a simpler and healthier alternative! Just make sure you have ramen-this recipe won't work without it.

sugar

Sugar is the magic ingredient that coats the fried ramen with irresistible sweetness. The combination of crunchy ramen and sugar is absolutely delicious. Think of how sugar elevates Korean-style corn dogs-it's the same idea here! If you don't have granulated sugar, you can use sugar syrup, but you'll miss out on that signature crunchy texture. Sugar alcohols are also a viable substitute if needed!

ketchup

Ketchup adds the perfect tangy contrast to the sweet and savory flavors. It takes the combination of fried ramen and sugar to the next level, balancing the sweetness with a touch of acidity. Don't skip the ketchup-it's a must!