Spring Garlic Mustard Ramen Noodles
If you’ve got a few packs of instant ramen noodles lying around, you’ve got pretty much all you need for this Asian-style garlic mustard ramen. The other main ingredient is likely growing right in your front yard, or beside your favorite walking trail. Garlic mustard is one of the first edible plants to grow in the spring, and it’s invasive to the US so you don’t have to worry about how much you pick. This dish uses garlic mustard to create a pesto-like sauce, for a great, green, garlicky noodle dish.
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About Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolate)
Garlic mustard is one of my favorite edibles because it’s so readily available. Everywhere I go (at least in the US) I see garlic mustard. If there is a warm day mid winter, garlic mustard will poke it’s head out to catch the rays. It’s one of the first edible plants every spring, and it lasts all through the summer. And it’s highly invasive- garlic mustard is able to take over native species incredibly efficiently, and as a human you can help native species out by picking and eating it. You probably can’t make much of a dent, but there’s no harm in trying! Like many dark greens, it is highly nutritious containing large amounts of vitamin C, carotenoids, iron and zinc (among others). The leaves have a delicate texture and cook like spinach- in fact, they remind me of a slightly more bitter spinach with a garlicky flavor. Delicious!
Identifying Garlic Mustard
Disclaimer- use caution when foraging wild edibles, and always be certain of your identification. While I assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided on this site, I can’t be responsible for the accuracy of your information. Consult multiple websites, books and local experts, and when it doubt, do without.
The earliest garlic mustard comes up primarily in small groups of kidney-shaped leaves. Rub them to break them apart, and they should give off a smell of garlic. If you wait a month or two, they’ll get easier for a novice forager to identify. The plant has a two year life cycle, both of which are edible, but the second year is a little easier to identify. First year plants grow in clumps or rosettes close to the ground, stemming from an underground root with the kidney shaped leaves that first show up in spring. The second year plants grow a tall stalk, with leaves that are spikier and pointy. They blossom with small white flowers, each flower has four petals. The flowers make great edible garnish, and have a similar garlicky flavor to the leaves. If you want to do even more with this plant, the roots of garlic mustard can be used like horseradish. Make sure the place you’re picking isn’t sprayed with harmful chemicals, and avoid picking too close to roadways or other polluted areas.
How this Recipe is Perfect for Spring 2020
If you’re on any continent aside from Antarctica right now, you’re currently being visited with a virus SARS-CoV-2 which causes the disease COVID-19. It’s closing down restaurants and canceling all social events- people are being asked not to come into work and to leave the house as little as possible. In the past week or two since these conditions have broken out, five people have died in the state of Massachusetts so far, and it’s just the beginning. Since people are trying not to go out, our pantries have been bulking up with pastas, grains, and beans. Instant ramen is likely in a lot of your pantries right now! This recipe uses two fresh ingredients- parsley and garlic mustard. If you don’t have parsley, try subbing in a different herb or just leave it out. And get garlic mustard outside! Going for walks is one of the few COVID-19 approved activities, so make the most of it and learn a little foraging!
Looking for Vegan Noodle Dishes? Try one of these!
- Spicy Vegan Cold Noodles, Sichuan Style
- Stir-Fried Korean Sweet Potato Noodles (Japchae) with Kale
- Daylily Flower Vegetable Lo Mein
- Crown Daisy Pasta in Spicy Almond Sauce
- Fried Hoisin Tofu with Peanut Sauce-Touched Udon
- Spiralized Radish Thai Noodle Salad (Yum Woon Sen)
- Thai Rice Noodle Salad with Vegan Chick’n
Making Garlic Mustard Ramen Noodles
This recipe is super quick- by far the longest part comes, before the recipe even starts, with harvesting the garlic mustard. To clean garlic mustard, place the leaves in a bowl of cool water and swish it around. Drain the water and repeat, doing so again if the water is still dirty. Place the leaves on a clean dish towel, lightly patting them dry. As far as the recipe is concerned, make up the ramen noodles without the spice package. I did it in a bowl covered in hot water, but you can probably also use a microwave or do it stove top. Blend the ingredients for the sauce, and top with sesame seeds, scallions, and chili flakes. It’s done in about 10 minutes, so enjoy!
Spring Garlic Mustard Ramen Noodles
Ingredients
- 2-3 packages instant ramen noodles (noodles only)
- 2 cups garlic mustard leaves, washed (well packed)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ½ cup raw, unsalted cashews
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 tsp. cane sugar
- 1 tsp. sesame seeds
- ½ tsp. chile flakes
- 2 scallions, chopped
Instructions
- Remove your ramen noodles from the packaging, discard the spice packet, and place in a large bowl. Boil a pot of water, and pour the hot water over the noodles, covering with a plate for about 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, place the cleaned garlic mustard leaves in a blender, along with cilantro, cashews, olive oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides a couple times to incorporate all the garlic mustard.
- Drain the water from the noodles, and add some of the garlic mustard sauce to the bowl. Stir, and continue adding the sauce until it completely covers the noodles. Top with sesame seeds, chile flakes, and scallions, and enjoy!
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I just found some of this. I looked at photos on Google, in my foraging book, and did some comparison on a few plant identifier apps, 100% sure (especially as when I crush the leaves they smell garlicky to me). Though they are definitely the second year. (spiked leaves, white flowers and tall). I know they are still edible at that point, though do they not taste as good as the first year? If they are so invasive, I might as well collect the ones I have found (there’s a lot) and make some of your recipes using them. Although, I know it’s better to eat foraged things a small bit at a time, to see how our own bodies handle them. So, I am thinking of making some of your other recipes using this and trying to store them in the freezer to eat now and again, just to take advantage of the wild edibles near me.
Hi Victoria,
I eat both the first and second year plants, especially earlier in the year. I haven’t noticed much of a difference in flavor between them, and harvesting the second year leaves is quicker. I love that you’re exploring the local wild edibles, and definitely pick as much garlic mustard as you like- it is super invasive in the United States and can easily take over. I haven’t tried freezing any of my garlic mustard recipes, but with this recipe specifically it might work well to make up the garlic mustard sauce and freeze that. Then you can defrost it later and serve over ramen.