Cooking Ramen in a Cactus

by HorseBackBob

3.9K3911

Intro: Cooking Ramen in a Cactus

The Ramen in a Cactus Hack:

Ever wonder what you would do, hungry, with Ramen in hand, but with no pot to cook it in? This Instructable sets out to answer this age old question and to prepare those that might find themselves in such a dire situation. Enjoy.

(A demonstrational video can be found at the end of this Instructable.)

STEP 1: Find/Get Your Cactus

To get your Ramen cooked, you'll need to find a prickly pear cactus. Prickly pear is green, spiky, and can be found in the Southwest (see above photos).

Choose a healthy pad, safely remove said healthy pad with knife taking care not to touch the thorns. It's now time to head to camp with cactus in hand to stoke the fire and to make preparations for your Ramenly feast.

STEP 2: Hot Rocks in a Cactus Pot

Get your fire blazing (safely of course) and add some dry, non-porous stones to begin heating amongst the coals. While your rocks are heating up, you'll want to singe some of those nasty thorns off of your cactus by applying some of that awesome campfire flame (don't burn the pad though).

Once your thorns have burned away, the pad will need to be hollowed out (Carefully!) with a knife making sure not to puncture the skin of your cactus pad pot.

STEP 3: Fill Your Cactus Pad Pot With Water

The rocks in your fire should be getting hot by now, so it is time to situate your cactus pot and fill it with water. You can use large rocks around the cactus pad to keep it oriented up or a nifty stick like I've used in the above pictures.

Fill your cactus pad pot with water. Remember the best ingredients make the best food!

STEP 4: Time to Rock and Boil!

The secret to well cooked Ramen is a steady boil. Using a couple of sticks, carefully transfer heated rocks into your cactus pot of water. As each rock cools, remove it from the cactus pot and replace with a fresh hot rock from your fire until your water is at a rolling boil.

Get your Ramen ready!

STEP 5: Adding the Ramenly Ingredients

I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life or how to season your Ramen (Shrimp if you've got it). This is where I personally prefer to crunch up my Ramen noodles and add my seasoning to my boiling cactus flavored water.

A strong will is necessary to resist eating your creation at this point. Get Ahold of Yourself Man! (or woman) You're almost done.

STEP 6: Boil to Perfection

Adding a hot rock or two to complete cooking and finish sealing in all of that flavorful cactusey - Rameney goodness is key! Bring your water back to a boil and get your mouth ready for the party that is sure to begin.

STEP 7: Stir and Enjoy (Responsibly!)

A bit of stirring with utensils is probably a good call as this salty nectar can likely burn bare skin. I prefer chopsticks, but a fork or for those seeking a challenge, the spork, can also be used to enjoy this magnificent feast.

Please pace yourself and eat Ramen responsibly!

P.S. The cactus pad can also be eaten now as it is completely edible, fully cooked, and infused with the essence of Ramen!

STEP 8: Watch This Video to See How It's Done


Not a step, but if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video ought to be worth at least a thousand
pictures. Click on the video above to see how it's done.

Check out my YouTube Channel to see more videos like this one: Bob Hansler https://www.youtube.com/user/horsebackbob

11 Comments

mndietz 6 years ago

Be very careful with the cactus pad. It has large, obvious thorns, but at the base of each of these large thorns is a ring of what looks like short hairs. These are not hairs, but short thin thorns. They deserve respect too. Also, be very careful with the cactus pad. A wobbly cactus pad, not properly supported, and filled with boiling ramen, and even hotter rocks, could be a dangerous thing.

LyndsB 6 years ago

That's genius! You got my vote. Had I not watched the video I wouldn't have believed it were possible to cook Ramen Noodles in a cactus. That is just the coolest thing. And, so crazy! :) What ever made you think to try that?

HorseBackBob 6 years ago

Using rocks to boil water for sterilization and cooking... took it to the next level and added some humor. You'll find more on the YouTube channel. Thanks for watching.

jessimata 6 years ago

Seriously so inspired! I grew up native to the South Texas Plains eating cacti leaves yet never quite conceived using as a cooking vesicle. Your surroundings appear so familiar, what eco- region is this from?

gravityisweak 6 years ago

One thing I learned from many years of Ramen cooking, is that you don't actually need to cook it. As long as the water comes to a boil you can pour the seasoning into the water, drop the brick of ramen in after breaking it into a few pieces, cover it, and wait a few minutes. The noodles will be plumped up nicely and will have absorbed the seasoned water. No heat need be applied once the noodles are in the water. Works great if you have a kettle and a bowl and don't want to dirty a cooking pot too!

mrsmerwin 6 years ago

My sons love ramen and would probably love that you call it a college survival hack. We live in Michigan and that means that my college attending son will not be able to try this--no cactus here that would be of sufficient size to work. I will keep this in mind if he decides to travel. It sounds like something that he would be willing to try. Are all cacti edible?

HorseBackBob 6 years ago

All prickly pear is edible, though flavor can vary. Not all cacti are edible though and care should be taken when considering wild plants as food.

Swansong 6 years ago

I've never had cactus before, I'd be interested to try it to see how it effects the flavor!

HorseBackBob 6 years ago

A subtle difference, the seasoning is strong. The cactus on the other hand is significantly improved from a flavor standpoint. Definitely something to experience.