Cheese Fire Chicken RamenChijeu Buldak Ramyeon

Buldak ramyeon — fire chicken ramen — became a global thing largely because of challenge videos, but it had been a late-night staple in Korean offices and dorm rooms for years before that. The cheese version is the move. Mozzarella cut by about a third of the heat while adding a creamy richness that makes the whole thing more satisfying.

I learned the two-tablespoon water trick by accident. The first time I made it, I drained the noodles completely and the sauce turned into a paste that clumped. Left two tablespoons of water in the pot on the second try, and the sauce coated the noodles evenly instead of seizing up.

The no-oven method for melting cheese is the one I use most: cover the pot with a lid for about a minute after topping with mozzarella. The trapped steam melts the cheese without any extra equipment. It won't get the golden spots of an oven broil but it gets fully melted and stretchy, which is the point.

An Egyptian friend named Nour visited my apartment during a product launch week when neither of us had time to cook a real meal. She'd heard about buldak from a a friend but had never tried it. I made two servings — one with the full sauce packet, one with one tablespoon for a slightly more manageable heat level. She tried the full-heat version first, made a face, ate the whole thing, then said she wanted to try it again with less cheese next time.

This is ten-minute food. The technique is drain the noodles, leave a splash of water, add sauce, top with cheese, cover until melted. Green onion and sesame seeds if you have them. Eat immediately because the cheese gets gummy as it cools.