ginger scallion noodles with pan roasted cauliflower and quick pickles (via David Chang)

Before we had children, Karen and I used to travel. A lot. Not extravagant travel. But a lot. We don’t travel quite so much anymore, but today I booked a flight on American Airlines to Chicago to go visit my parents and brothers and their families. 

The occasion is the wedding of our dearest friend, Lilly, who shares our love of Christopher Guest movies and will quote them endlessly with us (“But there’s no swimmin' in my show”). Karen and I get to spend the night in Chicago (ok, Skokie) and eat at The Bongo Room and Frontera Grill and get coffee at Intelligentsia (Black Cat espresso. Always). Our first night away together in four years. I know. Four years.

Booking the tickets and purposefully sitting us in the back rows, it made me remember when Karen and I flew to Korea to Tokyo to Kuala Lumpur to Sydney over two weeks. Before kids. We flew first class on Asiana (work paid for it), and it was like an amusement park ride with free toiletry kits and slippers and chairs that folded back into flat beds. And bibimbap. And ramen. Ramen on demand. Whenever we got hungry, we would forget the entrees and order some of the best ramen we’ve ever had. It might have been the altitude. Or the novelty. But being able to push a button, ask nicely, and get a steaming bowl of spicy goodness left an impression. We developed a taste for ramen in those long, comfy flights.

When I got the Momofuku cookbook for Christmas from Karen’s parents, I flipped right to my favorite ramen dish David Chang serves in his restaurant. Someday, I’ll tackle it, the Berkshire pork one (amazing), but I anticipate it taking a day or two to make. 

Just beyond the brothy ramen recipes in the book are ramen noodle recipes (all noodle, no broth). The ginger scallion noodles, seemed quick and easy. And they were perfect. Sublime. Exactly something different than what we had on Asiana, but sublime. A bite of sherry vinegar, the heat of green onions and ginger. The roasted cauliflower was a revelation (pan roasted caramelized with charred bits), and the quick pickles are a must. 

The first time I made this, I left the pickles in the fridge on accident. Terrible sadness when our bowls were empty, and I realized my mistake. Karen deemed it a travesty. We made it again soon after, this time with extra quick pickles. Perfect. 

The dish can be subtle and aggressive, calm and full-on power, salty and tangy. This is our new ramen on demand. At least until we fly to Seoul again.

The thought of five of us in the back of the plane to Chicago terrifies and thrills me. I have no idea how the kids will do. They will be what they need to be in that moment, I’m sure. I’m anticipating all kinds of looks from passengers, ranging from shock to irritation to indifference. But then I think about the five of us huddled together across two rows, having a party of Cheerios and questions and excitement and tears and laughter. Complimentary toiletry kits don’t seem  to matter much. And I can always make us our own ramen when we get home.

ginger scallion noodles with pan roasted cauliflower and quick pickles (via David Chang's Momofuku cookbook)

note - Yes, there are several components to this, but total cooking time is about 20 minutes with an extra 5 minutes for chopping. You can do this.

ginger scallion sauce

• 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions (greens and whites; from 1 to 2 large bunches)
• 1/2 cup finely minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
• 1 1/2 tsp light soy sauce (we’ve used light and regular; light is better but regular is fine)
• 3/4 tsp sherry vinegar (we double this amount because we like the extra kick)
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt, or more to taste

Dump the ingredients into a bowl. Stir. Let it hang out for a while. Use it. You’ll have extra after you make the noodles, so you refrigerate for a day or two.

quick pickles

• 2 kirby cucumbers (we’ve used regular and English cucumbers, and they work fine)
• 1 T kosher salt
• 1 T sugar

Cut the cucumbers into thin rounds about 1/8 inch thick. Cover in salt and sugar. Let sit for ten minutes. Come back and taste them, adjust for sweetness or salt. Let sit for another 10 minutes or so. Use within a couple of hours or they break down too far.

pan roasted cauliflower

• Half of a head of cauliflower, rinsed. Or the whole thing. It’s your life.
• 1-2 T cooking oil
• Salt and pepper

Slice the cauliflower into 1/2 inch-thick cross sections (slabs of cauliflower). A few more cuts with the knife to break the slabs into bite-size chunks. This is much faster than breaking down the head into pretty little florets. Plus, the flatter, uniform sides mean more caramelizing. This is good.

Heat a wide pan over high heat. Add in oil and then the cauliflower, stirring often, and roasting until tender with brown bits all over. Season with salt and pepper. Don’t eat it all now; you need it for the noodles.

ginger scallion noodles

• 6 oz ramen noodles
• 6 tbsp ginger scallion sauce (or more to taste)
• Pan roasted cauliflower
• Quick pickles
• Sliced scallions for garnish
• A little hoisin isn’t a bad idea if you have it

Boil the ramen noodles (check the package for directions or test after two minutes and cook until you’re happy). Drain and toss with ginger scallion sauce. Pile on quick pickles and pan-roasted cauliflower. Taste and decide if you want some hoisin added into the mix.