Home In Other News – 03 March 2015

In Other News – 03 March 2015

2 min read
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IonRamen

Those 2-minute noodles you eat when you’re broke, lazy or both are actually meant to be eaten with the soup – and not drained like Maggie and its ilk have led you to believe. They’re actually instant Ramen; a favoured Japanese dish of Chinese origin. Think about other “instant” variants of foods you eat. Instant soup? Pretty gross. Instant Mashed potato? Super gross. Instant pudding? The grossest.

And it’s much the same with Ramen – and it all comes down to making the broth. A good ramen is both so simple and so complex at the same time. It takes time, simmering roasted pork bones away for hours to develop a delicious broth, producing tare, the principal saltiness that’s combined with dashi ( base stock), Kombu (an edible kelp) and the result of the simmering pork bones.

Of course, the noodle itself is important. It needs to have the right texture – and be able to stand up to sitting in a hot soup without turning to mush. On top of the noodles and the both, you’d typically find a bit of sliced, roasted pork belly, green vegetables, and luxuriously poached, halved eggs. It’s difficult to state in words just how satisfying a great ramen can be – but “satisfying” is possibly the best word to use. The brilliant marriage of deep, complex flavours and the simplicity of what’s essentially a bowl of noodles creates one of the most satisfying meals on this or any other planet.

In Other News: More shovelling for an 8 bit hero, a new co-op RPG, PlayStation Now gets game and the best Femshep (THE ONLY SHEP!) cosplay you’ll see.

Here’s the news we didn’t post because our domain expired.

News

Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows will let you play as a baddie
The Flock is an intense, scary game of flashlight tag
That was fast: Five Nights at Freddy’s 3 is on Steam
Paradox’s first console game is an action RPG custom-made for couch co-op
PlayStation Now welcomes five new games in March
Deep is a virtual reality ‘game’ that wants to teach you how to breathe
The Suicide Squad arrives in Lego Batman 3 this week

Stuff

Lego Homeworld ships are works of art
Dracula unbound: The story behind the first 18 certificated video game
Terrific FemShep cosplay

Videos

Windwalkers – Kickstarter trailer
LA Cops – Getting the job done trailer
Legions Of Steel – Debut teaser

What’s on at The Movies

Drew Goddard to write and direct a new SPIDER-MAN reboot for Sony and Marvel
Official trailer for ORPHAN BLACK Season 3: Revenge of the Clones
There’s nothing typical about this trailer for iZOMBIE
Will Forte may finally get back to work on MACGRUBER 2 after The Last Man On Earth
You best check yourself before you wreck yourself in this red band trailer for GET HARD
It’s not about the car you drive in this trailer for Fast & Furious parody SUPERFAST!
New SPECTRE production vlog may confirm leaked script details

Last Updated: March 3, 2015

54 Comments

  1. Blood Emperor Trevor

    March 3, 2015 at 16:04

    Sounds like too much effort, I’m fine with two minutes. And I don’t care how much that disappoints anyone else.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      March 3, 2015 at 16:07

      • Blood Emperor Trevor

        March 3, 2015 at 16:12

        Stop judging me turtle, you’re not my mother!

        Reply

        • Capt. Bob of the Blood Ravens

          March 3, 2015 at 16:14

          I don’t know about that, you both seem to have the same big bulging eyes.

          Reply

        • Captain JJ the damned

          March 3, 2015 at 16:15

          How sure are you about that?

          Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          March 3, 2015 at 16:18

          Well they don’t hang around for the eggs to hatch so who knows?

          Reply

    • Geoffrey Tim

      March 3, 2015 at 16:15

      It is a shit ton of effort. So worth it. There are a few places you can pick up a decent Ramen though. 🙂

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief

        March 3, 2015 at 16:18

        If you can tell me where I can find that delicious dish in the header, I’d be much obliged

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          March 3, 2015 at 16:18

          Seconded

          Reply

        • Spathi

          March 3, 2015 at 16:18

          Not Matsuya in Pta 🙂

          Reply

        • Spathi

          March 3, 2015 at 16:25

          http://www.misaki.co.za/about-us

          Haven’t eaten there myself, but heard good things.

          Reply

        • Geoffrey Tim

          March 3, 2015 at 16:27

          Hit up Yamato in Illovo, have the Sho-Yu Ramen. Avoid Simply Asia and Ramen in Braamfontein.

          Reply

          • Matewis Jubilai

            March 3, 2015 at 16:30

            I don’t know what or where ‘Braamfontein’ is, but it doesn’t seem altogether unlikely that they would mess up Ramen badly. Like Sushi in Graaf Reinett

          • Brady miaau

            March 3, 2015 at 16:38

            Do you know of places where the cool people live? Like Pretoria?

            Sigh.

          • Matewis Jubilai

            March 3, 2015 at 16:40

            There is a Kung Fu kitchen in Hatfield, which everyone seem to praise

          • Brady miaau

            March 3, 2015 at 16:43

            Um. Ok. Eaten there several times, but that is a for a quick meal, not something special. And extremely reasonably priced place, with food that is good but not great.

            I miss Golden City (Hazelwood, near Golf Course) and Hong Kong in Brooklyn mall. Now that was a great meal out. Start with Oolong tea, some great starters, eat slowly, spend two to three hours eating slowly but well. Hong Kong restaurant is missed.

          • Matewis Jubilai

            March 3, 2015 at 16:46

            The only other place that I’ve noticed is one of those sushi restaurants with the conveyor belt in the Menlyn shopping centre. Looks a bit overpriced from the outside though…

          • Brady miaau

            March 3, 2015 at 16:59

            I used to (pre-child) eat out a lot. We ate at some great places but finding good Chinese Food (not Japanese food) was always a challenge.

            Other restuarants: Pachas, Cynthias (not so much), Hillside Tavern (steak), Villa Paulo (WOW), la Pentola, all our favourites.

          • CAE9872

            March 3, 2015 at 17:01

            Cool people only stay in Cape Town…dude!

    • CAE9872

      March 3, 2015 at 17:00

      I second this – my idea of fast food is bought or under 2 minutes; more than that and I cannot be arsed.

      Reply

  2. Admiral Chief

    March 3, 2015 at 16:08

    Moer that looks nomnoms

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      March 3, 2015 at 16:08

      I can taste it, or maybe it’s hunger hallucinations

      Reply

    • Matewis Jubilai

      March 3, 2015 at 16:37

      It does, except I don’t know what that white thing with the stripe is at the bottom, or the deep green thing above it for that matter 😛

      Reply

      • Geoffrey Tim

        March 3, 2015 at 19:05

        That’s a poached egg with a bit of Shichimi togarashi spice on it. The dark green stuff is seaweed.

        Reply

  3. Hammersteyn

    March 3, 2015 at 16:08

  4. Hammersteyn

    March 3, 2015 at 16:10

    At least we get five new games on PS Now………………………………………oh wait…………

    Reply

  5. HvR

    March 3, 2015 at 16:16

    “Instant pudding? The grossest.” stop insulting my cultures. Many a kerk bazaar funded on green jelly, unsweetened vla and instant pink pudding.

    Reply

    • Umar

      March 3, 2015 at 16:21

      AHAHAHA, jelly and instant pudding! Best!!! Love it.

      Reply

    • Geoffrey Tim

      March 3, 2015 at 16:21

      So…frikken…gross.

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        March 3, 2015 at 16:26

        *Sluuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrps the jelly

        Reply

      • Brady miaau

        March 3, 2015 at 16:33

        You mean the ones where you add milk and let set? I like them. Probably because, being sugar challenged, I can eat the new ones without sugar. It is getting harder and harder to buy pudding with no sugar. And making is a lot of work.

        Reply

      • HvR

        March 3, 2015 at 16:44

        You want to see gross
        *HVR jiggles his pink poeding at Geoff
        http://media.giphy.com/media/neMHW0fUEsXfi/giphy.gif

        Reply

        • Dutch Matrix

          March 3, 2015 at 16:58

          Classic Dean moment! 🙂

          Reply

    • Matewis Jubilai

      March 3, 2015 at 16:30

      Jelly is gewd man!

      Reply

  6. Matewis Jubilai

    March 3, 2015 at 16:27

    Drained 2 minute noodles? Yuch! It’s meant to be prepared on stove-top until the sauce is thick, and then you leave it a little while to cool off so that it can thicken even more. You can achieve a similar, albeit inferior, effect with a microwave if you leave it in for long enough.

    Reply

    • HvR

      March 3, 2015 at 16:30

      I chuck the flavour packet in the bin, prepare the noodles (at least 4 min) and cover is mozzerella, gouda or cheddar and Parmesan and melt the cheese.

      Reply

      • Brady miaau

        March 3, 2015 at 16:33

        Bits’o’ Bacon with that melted cheese?

        Reply

        • HvR

          March 3, 2015 at 16:35

          That I do as well but then take the time make it with pasta.

          Reply

          • Brady miaau

            March 3, 2015 at 16:37

            Hmm. Yes. Perhaps tonight, some bacon, some white sauce, some basil and tomato sauce, a bit of a mix, a bit of bacon. Some feta to top it off with. Maybe. If I feel like it.

            White sauce adds a bit of something to the meal. Also some blou wildebeest mince. Hmm.

          • Matewis Jubilai

            March 3, 2015 at 16:39

            Add a very small slice of blue cheese to the white sauce to give it that extra, uhm, zing

          • Brady miaau

            March 3, 2015 at 16:40

            I would if I could, but my wife cannot eat that. Only cheese she can have is cheese kept under salt water. Allergies, bad ones.

      • Matewis Jubilai

        March 3, 2015 at 16:33

        So much cheese! That would go far better with pasta though? Those instant pasta packets, in the little triangle cartons, are very good! Far better flavouring than 2-minute noodles…

        Reply

  7. Matewis Jubilai

    March 3, 2015 at 16:48

    Wow, those lego homeworld ships look incredible!

    Reply

  8. Ottokie

    March 3, 2015 at 16:57

    ION, if you live in Cape Town now would be a good time to go find a cold pool XD

    Reply

    • CAE9872

      March 3, 2015 at 17:09

      Apparently hottest day in a 100 years – wife said town was 43!!!

      Reply

  9. Stefan

    March 3, 2015 at 17:20

    Watching Naruto again? Think there is an episode on how to make a good ramen

    Reply

  10. Ceyber, The Metal Rabbit

    March 3, 2015 at 18:26

    OM NOM NOM. Is that ginger floating in the broth? Interesting… I shall experiment later.
    Arigato Geoffrey -san.

    Reply

    • Geoffrey Tim

      March 3, 2015 at 19:02

      It’s Kamaboko, a processed fish cake thing.

      Reply

      • Ceyber, The Metal Rabbit

        March 3, 2015 at 19:27

        Googled it. How closely does it resemble crab cake, taste-wise?
        Could I find it in CT? I know where to get crab cakes, there’s a great little fresh-fish shop at the end of Sea Point Main Rd (which is also the only place I’ve come across that sells some proper Nori and Yuba).

        Reply

        • Geoffrey Tim

          March 3, 2015 at 20:29

          It’s not really similar. It’s more similar to crab stick. You should be able to get it, or a Chinese thing very similar to it, at a good asian supermarket.

          Reply

          • Ceyber, The Metal Rabbit

            March 3, 2015 at 22:25

            I meant crab sticks! Dammit, was too busy worrying about if “fresh-fish shop” should be hyphenated :/
            Thanks for the info, will force SO to perform her gathering duties this weekend 😛

    • Geoffrey Tim

      March 3, 2015 at 19:02

      It’s Kamaboko, a processed fish cake thing.

      Reply

  11. Kensei Seraph

    March 4, 2015 at 08:02

    Dam that is the tastiest looking food ION yet.

    Reply

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