Korean Sweet Spicy Crispy Ramen Snack
Quick answer
Ramyeon-ttang is a Korean snack made by crushing a bag of instant ramen noodles into bite-size shards, deep-frying them at 170 degrees Celsius for one to two minutes, the...
What makes this special
- Deep-fried ramen shards tossed in a sweet-spicy gochujang glaze create a crunchy snack.
- Crushing noodles in-bag preserves wavy form that maximizes crunch
- Spread immediately after saucing; cooling on a flat tray keeps it crisp
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Remove the seasoning packets from 2 instant ramen packs before crushing.
- 2 Pour 400 ml cooking oil into a pan and heat it over medium heat to 170C.
- 3 Fry the ramen in batches for 1 to 2 minutes.
Ramyeon-ttang is a Korean snack made by crushing a bag of instant ramen noodles into bite-size shards, deep-frying them at 170 degrees Celsius for one to two minutes, then tossing them quickly in a sweet-spicy glaze of gochujang, ketchup, sugar, and corn syrup, and finishing with sesame seeds. The snack traces back to the 1980s and 1990s, when it was a staple at the small stationery shops and snack kiosks clustered around elementary schools across Korea. Its appeal comes from the combination of deep crunch, sticky glaze, and the familiar flavor of the ramen seasoning packet, all for almost no cost. The coated pieces must be spread out on a tray or silicone mat immediately after glazing, since leaving them in a pile traps steam and softens the crunch within minutes. Air-frying at 180 degrees for five minutes is a lighter alternative that produces a similar result with less oil. Pulling out the seasoning packet before crushing and adding a small amount of it to the glaze when the sauce seems flat is a useful trick for boosting the savory depth.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Remove the seasoning packets from 2 instant ramen packs before crushing.
Break the noodles inside the bags into rough bite-size shards, keeping some larger pieces so they fry evenly instead of burning quickly.
- 2Control
Pour 400 ml cooking oil into a pan and heat it over medium heat to 170C.
Drop in one noodle piece to check: steady small bubbles should appear right away, without darkening the noodle.
- 3Heat
Fry the ramen in batches for 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir gently so the pieces do not clump, then lift them out as soon as they turn light golden and sound dry and crisp.
- 4Control
In another pan, combine 1 tablespoon gochujang, 1 tablespoon ketchup, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons corn syrup.
Warm over low heat, stirring until the sugar melts and the glaze looks glossy.
- 5Control
When the glaze thickens slightly, reduce the heat to very low and add the fried ramen.
Toss with lifting motions for about 30 seconds so every piece is coated before steam softens it.
- 6Finish
Turn off the heat and sprinkle 1 teaspoon sesame seeds over the coated ramen.
Spread the pieces separately on a tray or silicone mat, let them cool until crisp, then serve immediately.
After the steps
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