Besides having one of the greatest storylines ever, there was something else in the Oscar-winning Korean movie, "Parasite", that left a deep impact on its audience.
Steak Ram-don.
Screengrab via Parasite movie
The way the gooey dark brown noodles was slurped up was as irresistible as Lee Sun Gyun’s (rich father) syrupy voice. (Does that guy drink Pi Pa Gao every day or??)
As much as the steak ram-don was irresistible, it was easy-peasy to make.
So I did. Here's how.
Ingredients
- One packet of Chapagetti (a brand of ramyeon produced by Nongshim)
- One packet of Neoguri Spicy seafood noodles
- Steak
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Photo by Olivia Lin
Before I begin, you need to understand that the steak ram-don was used in the movie to further emphasise how wealthy the family was.
So wealthy that they could afford to add something as premium as Hanu beef, which is the equivalent of Wagyu beef in Korea, to instant noodles.
This means that if you truly want to immerse your taste buds in the union of class disparity, you have to use a really expensive cut of beef.
I, however, used beef cubes because it was S$3.15 for 100 grams, and my middle-class eyes were blind to everything other than the cheaper options at ~Fairprice Finest~.
But y'know, whatever floats your taste buds.
How to make it
First, marinate the steak with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Photo by Olivia Lin
Next, fry up the beef and cook it to your preferred doneness. Remember, the more raw it is, the more high class you are. (Ha, kidding.) Set the beef aside once it's done.
Meanwhile, boil enough water for two packets of noodles in a pot.
Put the noodles and the little packets of vegetable things into the boiling water.
Photo by Olivia Lin
Cook the noodles for about three minutes, then drain it. Keep a bit of the water for mixing.
Add the chapagetti seasoning, the oil, ⅗ packet (don’t ask) of the spicy seafood seasoning, the water from before, and the cooked beef to the noodles.
Mix well.
Photo by Olivia Lin
Tastes like Korean Mee goreng
If you’ve ever had Korean Jajangmyeon, you would be familiar with its savoury, sweet, and slightly bitter taste.
Now imagine a more toned down version of that taste.
Then imagine a hint of spicy seafood flavour trying to fight for attention with it.
It's at this point where you'll understand why only ⅗ of the spicy seafood seasoning is needed. If the whole packet was dumped in, the seasoning would overpower the already weak flavour of Jajangmyeon.
And you know what this dish is about?
Balance. That's right.
That's the best description of steak ram-don I can come up with.
The alternative description is that it tastes like Mee Goreng with a Korean touch.
Top photo via Parasite movie screengrab & Olivia Lin