Learn to Make Ramdon, The Dish from Parasite, At Home!

Have you ever seen a movie and immediately craved the dishes served throughout the scenes? We certainly have! So did many people who watched the movie "Parasite," an international feature film. In particular, the scene with chapaguri, a combination of Chapaghetti and Neoguri instant noodles, made many people's mouths water.

What Is Ramdon?

This instant noodle dish is a recipe specifically created for the movie "Parasite." It's based on a Korean dish named jjapaguri, or chapaguri, which combines udon and ramen noodles. It seems that many people could not pronounce the Korean food name (jjapaguri). Hence the name ramdon or ram-don was created.

There’s one major difference between chapaguri and ramdon – the original dish does not include a topping of sirloin steak. Instead, the chewy noodles are topped with foods like sweet corn and peas.

As mentioned, ramdon is made by combining Chapaghetti and Neoguri noodles. Chapaghetti instant ramen noodles come with a black bean sauce and are served more like a stir-fry (sans broth) than a soup. Neoguri instant noodle soup comes with a spicy broth mix and dried kombu (kelp) packet.

What Does Ramdon Taste Like?

Ramdon has a complex flavor that will leave you wanting more after the first bite. The black bean sauce provides a savory flavor with a tinge of sweetness. Then, the Neoguri noodles sweep in with a fishy, salty, spicy taste. The beef slices seem like an odd choice for this dish. However, the richness of the steak helps to round out the flavors.

What Is a Simple Ramdon Recipe?

Luckily, ramdon is pretty quick to make at home! Here's an easy instant noodle version that only requires a few ingredients.

Start by choosing a ramen noodle option for your ramdon recipe like Nongshim Chapagetti Noodle or Nongshim Chapagetti Noodle (4-pack). Shin ramen will also work – try using Nongshim Shin Ramyun Spicy Ramen. Then, it's time to select a packet of udon noodles; we like using Nongshim Neoguri Spicy Seafood Udon.

Grab one packet of each type of noodle and the dried vegetable mix that comes with the packets. Use four cups of water for this step. Cook until the noodles are soft. Strain except for about six tablespoons of water. Then, mix the ramen sauce, Chapagetti oil seasoning packet, and 1/3-1/2 of the Neoguri spicy seasoning powder into the noodles. Add thin slices of any beef cut. Combine and serve.

What Could You Add to A Chapaguri Ramen Package To Spice It Up?

You'll likely be adding some beef slices to the ramdon dish to recreate the "Parasite" dish more closely. However, you don't have to stop there! You can easily create new ramen recipes with a few additional ingredients. Here are some ways that you can spice up your bowl of ramen without overspending on items like Korean Hanwoo beef.

Tom's Farm Korean Style Almonds: Buldak Spicy Chicken

Almonds are always a great choice, regardless of the dish. Adding a handful of Tom's Farm Korean Style Almonds: Buldak Spicy Chicken to your ramdon increases the heat level and adds a delightful crunch. These almonds have a buldak flavor, aka a fire chicken flavor, which is another traditional dish in Korea.

Wang Tinned Napa Cabbage Kimchi

Kimchi is a traditional topping for many Korean dishes. By adding a scoop of Wang Tinned Napa Cabbage Kimchi, you create an even spicier (and tangier) recipe. Add as much or as little as you'd like.

Jongga Ssamjang Spicy Dipping Sauce

While the Jongga Ssamjang Spicy Dipping Sauce is not technically a sauce that you use as a garnish, don’t let that stop you from getting creative with its uses! Try a small dollop of this dipping sauce on your ramdon to boost its fiery flavor.

When Was It Prepared in Parasite, And Did It Grow in Popularity Since Then?

If you watched “Parasite,” you’ll probably remember the scene when ramdon was served. But for some extra context, it occurred after Da Song had his birthday camping excursion cut short.

Mrs. Park is on the phone with Mrs. Kim, and she announces that it's necessary for a hot bowl of ram-don to be awaiting her son upon their arrival home. Mrs. Kim doesn't quite know what ram don is and throws together ramen, udon, and beef chunks in her flustered state.

In short, this film did increase the number of people who eat ramdon and chapaguri. Instant noodles and chapaguri were already very popular in Korea because of Youtube mukbang videos where large amounts of food are eaten. After the movie came out, people worldwide began recreating the dish.

Head to Bokksu Market to recreate more recipes from your favorite movies! With a long list of Asian grocery items available, including Korean grocery store items, Japanese grocery items, and Chinese grocery items, you'll find plenty of options to choose from. Order groceries online from this Asian grocery store for a more convenient grocery haul.