Shin Ramyun Toomba
Shin Ramyun Toomba
The Shin Ramyun everyone was already making at home — Koreans had been stirring milk and cheese into the red packet for years, so Nongshim went and bottled the idea. Cream powder and a savoury paste over thick, chewy noodles, garlic and mushroom behind it, the Shin heat still underneath. Imported from Korea.
- Boil the water
Bring 500ml of water to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Open the packet while you wait and set out the two sachets: the seasoning paste and the cream powder. Both go in at the end, not during the boil.
- Cook the noodles
Add the noodle block to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Stir gently so the thick strands separate rather than staying welded together in a block. Three minutes is short, so do not wander off.
- Drain the water
Take the pot off the heat and strain the noodles properly. This one is built as a sauced noodle rather than a soup, so the drier you get them, the thicker the cream sauce will end up sitting on them.
- Sauce and serve
Add the seasoning paste and the cream powder to the drained noodles and stir until the sauce comes together and coats everything evenly. Serve straight away while it is still thick and glossy.
Background
Every packet has a story behind it. Here's where this one comes from, what makes it tick, and why it made the cut for the box.
Nongshim is South Korea's largest noodle manufacturer, founded in 1965. Their Shin Ramyun is the best-selling Korean ramen worldwide. The company prides itself on using real vegetables and robust seasoning in every product.
Korean ramyun culture is distinct from Japanese ramen. The noodles are typically chewier, the broths spicier, and the flavours bolder. Korean ramyun is usually cooked in a pot rather than a cup, and sharing a pot of ramyun is a social ritual.
A cream sauce rather than a broth. A savoury paste goes in alongside a cream and cheese powder, and between them they turn the familiar Shin chilli into something thick and rounded. Garlic, mushroom and parsley sit underneath, and no extra milk is needed.
Chewy, springy noodles built for a soupless format. The texture is designed to hold sauce on every surface rather than swimming in broth. After draining, the noodles grip the seasoning tightly, so the flavour stays concentrated and consistent with every bite.
Toomba is Korean shorthand for the creamy chilli pasta served at an Australian-themed restaurant chain in Seoul, named after the town of Toowoomba. Home cooks started recreating it with Shin Ramyun and milk, and Nongshim turned the trend into a packet in 2024.
Seventeen million servings in the first three months, which tells you the idea was already in people's heads long before the packet existed. It is rich, it is loud, and it is the most fun thing Nongshim has done with the red packet in years.
Topping Suggestions
A few toppings that take this bowl from good to great. Most are already in your kitchen, and every one is optional.
Fried Egg
A fried egg brings crispy, golden edges and a runny yolk that melts into the broth for a rich, savoury finish.
Corn
Sweet corn kernels offer a burst of natural sweetness, providing a refreshing and crisp counterbalance to the noodles' savory notes.
Green Beans
Green beans add a crisp, slightly sweet crunch to instant noodles, providing a fresh and light contrast to the savory noodle base.