"Parasite" can safely add "culinary inventor" to its growing list of accomplishments.
The class-conscious thriller, which became the first foreign film to win best picture and nearly swept this year’s Academy Awards, featured a noodle dish called "Ram-Don" that's continuing to make waves online.
Ram-Don, a portmanteau of ramen and udon, is the brainchild of South Korean director Bong Joon Ho, and a spin on the simple Korean dish jjapaguri. It combines two Korean instant noodle brands, “Jjapaghetti” and “Neoguri.”
The special ingredient added in “Parasite”? Sirloin steak. With this, the dish becomes something unique: a collision of social classes, as the premium beef joins cheap instant noodles in an embrace of the film’s identity.
Inspired by the film, and by Ho’s creation, a group of NBC News staffers set out to make the iconic noodle dish.
In preparation, we gathered the essentials: one packet of each instant noodle, and a good cut of steak.
Note: By cooking in the office kitchen, we were faced with limited kitchenware and fluorescent lighting! Plus some of the legwork had to be done at home.
Here are the steps we followed:
1. Cube and sautee ½ pound of good steak. Season with salt, pepper, and a dash of olive oil. Set aside (Our reporter cooked the steak at home and packed it away to be added into the dish).
2. Put the dry noodles from both instant packets into a bowl.
3. Empty the dry vegetable flakes into the mix (Do not yet add the oils or soup base).
4. Pour boiling water on top.
5. When the noodles are al dente, strain out most of the water, leaving just enough to mix in the rest of the flavor packets and oils.
6. Mix in the cubed steak, stirring to absorb the sauce flavoring.
7. Serve and enjoy!
