Ramdon, also called Chapaguri, is a popular Korean dish that combines instant noodles with premium cuts of beef. Savory and spicy with chewy noodles, the unique flavor combination is so addictive! Indulge in this special 10-minute instant noodle dish (with steak!) from the South Korean Oscar-winning movie, Parasite. Easy, fast, and deliciously indulgent.

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What is Ramdon or Chapaguri?

Ramdon, also called Chapaguri, is a popular Korean dish made from two different kinds of instant noodles — Chapaghetti (black bean sauce flavor) and Neoguri (spicy seafood flavor). Topped with indulgent, rich bites of steak — it’s an easy, delicious way to upgrade instant noodles.

Ramdon gained instant notoriety when it made an appearance in the South Korean movie, Parasite. In the movie, the housekeeper makes Ramdon with premium Hanwoo beef. The inclusion of expensive and luxurious Hanwoo beef with instant noodles immediately elevates it to an extravagant dish.

In North America, we don’t have access to Hanwoo beef (it’s a special South Korean beef) but any premium cut of beef will add that same indulgent flavor.

The flavor is quite unique — savory and spicy with a hint of seafood flavor. A noodle fusion dish that highlights chewy noodles and deep umami flavor, it’s also easy to prepare and pure comfort food!

FYI, this dish goes by two names.

• In Korean, it’s called Chapaguri. The name comes from a hybridization of the two instant noodles that are used to make this dish. Chapaghetti + Neoguri = CHAPAGURI
• In English, it’s called Ramdon. Translators thought it best captured the hybrid nature of this dish. Ramen + Udon = Ramdon.

Whatever you chose to call it, it’s unbelievably delicious!

Ingredients:

• Chapagetti. Korean instant noodles flavored with black bean sauce (jjajangmyeon).
• Neoguri. Korean instant noodles flavored with spicy seafood-flavor.
• Beef Steak. A premium cut of beef makes Ramdon especially delicious. Look for a well-marbled steak that’s at least 1 inch thick. I recommend AAA ribeye, sirloin, or New York strip steak. If you’d like an even more luxurious cut of meat, look for Wagyu or Kobe steak.

Note: The Instant Noodle packages come with dehydrated noodles, soup base, and dehydrated vegetables. The Chapagetti also comes with a tiny oil pack. You will need all of these elements, so don’t throw them away!

Instructions:

1. Cube steak. Cut an 8 oz steak into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Salt and pepper generously.
2. Sear steak. In a cast iron skillet, sear steak cubes until nicely browned. Set aside.
3. Cook instant noodles + vegetable packets. Fill a large stock pot with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and add instant noodles and packets of dehydrated vegetable packets from each instant noodle package.
4. Drain noodles. When the noodles are 80% cooked, drain. Make sure to reserve 1/2 cup of starchy liquid.
5. Add sauce. Add drained noodles back into the stock pot. Sprinkle 1 packet of Chapagetti soup base and 1/2 packet of the Neoguri soup base. Add reserved starchy water to make a sauce. Cook on low heat until the sauce is glossy and thick, mixing well with tongs.
6. Add steak cubes. Add beef cubes (and juices) and oil packet from the Chapagetti. Mix well and enjoy immediately!

PRO Tips:

• Use a fine mesh strainer. Better than a regular strainer to keep the tiny reconstituted vegetables.
• Make sure to add the steak juices. As the steak rests on the plate, juices will release. Scrape all the juices to enjoy the full beefy flavor.

Cultural significance of Ramdon in Parasite:

In the movie Parasite, the inclusion of Ramdon with steak makes a big statement.

To fully understand the point that’s being made, it’s helpful to appreciate the place of instant noodles in Korean culture. Koreans are the biggest consumers of instant noodles in the world. In fact, the average Korean consumes 76 packs of ramen per year! Fast, easy, and satisfying to eat, instant noodles are a universally popular, cook-at-home pantry item.

By adding Hanwoo beef to everyday instant noodles, the movie is highlighting the extreme wealth of the rich family. Hanwoo beef is luxurious, expensive, and very upscale. Considered the Wagyu or Kobe beef of Korea, it’s eaten rarely and only at special occasions.

But this particular family is so rich, they can afford to keep Hanwoo beef in the fridge year-round. They don’t think twice to add this posh cut of meat to a bowl of instant noodles!

More easy 15-minute Korean dishes:

• Carbonara Tteokbokki with Bacon
• Buckwheat Soba Noodles with Perilla Oil (Memil Guksu)
• Bibim Guksu (Spicy Cold Mixed Noodles)
• Tornado Egg Omelette with Ginger Fried Rice
• Korean Street Toast