Day Three Ramen 

Here it is Wednesday and I have yet to officially go shopping for this weeks groceries. Yesterday I swung by the store on my way home and picked up a loaf of bread, the grocery store received a large shipment so it was on sale 2 for $2 which was convenient. The bread doesn't expire until the 16th so one will be for this week and one for next. The husband and I have been eating peanut butter and hazelnut spread sandwiches as lunches which is super yummy. Last night we actually didn't cook because a friend of ours was hosting a taco Tuesday which she does every first Tuesday of the month which is awesome! We ate fish tacos and they were delicious! I may take what ever left over money I have from this weeks budget and splurge next week to make my own fish tacos.

Tonight we decided to go with Ramen Noodles. No, Not the cheap packets you live on in college... Ramen, the delicious meal you get from traditional Ramen Shops. 

Ramen is actually a fairly simple meal to make from scratch! 


Broth

• 8 cups water
  
• 1/2 onion cubed
  
• 2 tbsp thyme
  
• 3 bay leaves
  
• 10 peppercorns
  
• 3 cloves garlic 
  
• 1 cut up carrot
  
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
  

Put all ingrediants in a stock pot and cover, cook for thirty to fortyfive minutes. If stock looks a bit low add some more water. After cooked you want to strain out the chunks so it is just liquid. Put back on stove on low until ready to use (Must still be super hot in order to cook beef)

Noodles:

• 3/4th cups flour
  
• 1 egg
  
• 3/4th tspn Sallt
  
• 1 tbsp Water
  

1. Mix dry ingrediants and then beat in the egg and water. Form into a dough ball

2.Once in a ball begin to knead. Dough should feel elasticy. If dough feels too sticky add a tiny bit of flour.

3. Let dough rest for about half an hour covered in a bowl with a towel

4. Roll the dough out onto the table. You want to dough to be about 1mm thick. You can also choose to use a pasta maker like I did. However if you dont have one just use a rolling pin. 

5. Once flattened cut the noodles in to small noodle strips

6. Toss the noodles with a slight amount of flour to keep from sticking. 

7. Fill a pot with water, enough to boil the noodles, when you are letting to water heat to boiling put an egg in to hard boil. 

8. Once water boils add the noodles

9. Boil the noodles for about 4 minutes and then once soft drain. Remove the hard boiled egg, rinse in cold water and peel. Slice in half longways if serving two and in 4ths if serving 4

10. While your noodles are boiling you want to prepare your mixins. You can choose a varienty of things but I chose the following:

• Half carrot shredded
  
• 2 bok choy leaves cup into 2x2inch cubes
  
• 1/3rd lb thinly beef shredded (I use a filet knife to get it super thin)
  

11. Place the noodles in 2-4 small bowls. Place raw beef, carrot, bok choy and egg in each bowl evenly. Then turn off the stove and pour the broth into each bowl over the toppings. The broth should be so super hot in order to cook the beef and other ingrediants. 

12. Let sit for 5 minutes and then enjoy! 
Serves 2-4 

If you choose to make this meal with out beef it can be made for about $2.50, with the beef you are looking at about $3.50 if you get a good deal on the beef. 
 
So far this week I have bought
Beef $7 (enough for three different meals including today)
Bok choy $1
Bread $2

Total Spent so far $10
Remaining $20