This instant noodle dish is an example of how ramen is becoming a popular ingredient for creative fusion foods. The Kimchi Ramen Grilled Cheese recipe by Tastespotting.com resembles a traditional grilled cheese sandwich, only that it's filled with curly ramen noodles. Grilled cheese vendors often fill sandwiches with macaroni -- this would be a variation of that concept with an Asian twist. Apparently this is a common recipe in the Philippines.
The recipe is pretty straight forward: the noodles can be seasoned with anything, in this case, kimchi for a spicy kick. One word of advice from the creator is to use very sturdy bread, as the moist noodles could easily make the sandwich fall apart.
Asian foods have recently gained popularity in North America, so it's not a huge surprise that even the conventional dishes are being re-imagined with Oriental ingredients like kimchi and ramen.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Fusion Food
- Incorporating traditional dishes from different cultures into a new dish can disrupt the food industry and provide a unique experience for customers.
- Instant Noodle Innovation
- Ramen being used as a key ingredient in traditional Western dishes can posssibly lead to a new trend in recipe creation.
- Creative Sandwich Making
- The concept of using unconventional ingredients as sandwich filling can disrupt the way we think about sandwiches and open up new product offerings.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Food & Beverage
- Exploration of incorporating ramen into non-Asian food dishes and using other unconventional ingredients as sandwich fillings can create new products and bring in new customers.
- Fast Food
- The creativity of incorporating ramen into sandwiches can change the fast food game and lead to new menu offerings.
- Culinary Arts
- The utilization of Eastern ingredients in Western dishes challenges traditional cooking methods and leads to new techniques and recipe development.
