Instant-ramen revolution

Instant ramen as we know it—cheap, dried noodles and powdery seasoning—hasn't really changed much since Momofuku Ando invented it to help feed a World War II-ravaged Japan. But with Sun Noodle's new ramen kits, you can now make a bowl of restaurant-quality ramen at home. Plus, it's still relatively instant. Located in the refrigerated section of a store, the kit features fresh, uncooked noodles plus a concentrated tare paste, or soup base. Similar to how restaurants prepare ramen, one must quickly dip the noodles in boiling water for a minute, strain them right away, and put them in a bowl. Then, mix the tare with boiling water, add the noodles and garnish it with toppings. I found the kits at KP International Market (10971 Olson Drive in Rancho Cordova) for $3.50 each—with some flavors on sale for $1.99. Each package consists of two servings, and it's the best thing since, well, instant ramen.