Preparation

This recipe represents the beautiful chaos of globalized food culture—a technique borrowed from Italian pasta meets the convenience of Korean ramen culture, all executed in a college mug. The result is creamy, cheesy, and somehow greater than the sum of its questionable parts.

Instructions

1. Add water to your mug and place on the hot plate set to medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
2. Break the ramen noodles in half and add them to the boiling water. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. While the noodles cook, separate your egg. Put the yolk in a small container and lightly beat it with the Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Save the egg white for another use or discard.
4. When noodles are done, reduce heat to low and stir in half the seasoning packet (save the rest for another meal), butter, and the slice of cheese. Stir until melted.
5. Remove the mug from heat and wait 30 seconds for the temperature to drop slightly.
6. Working quickly, pour the egg yolk mixture into the ramen while stirring constantly. The residual heat will cook the egg and create a creamy sauce. Do not return to direct heat or the egg will scramble.
7. Stir vigorously for 30-45 seconds until the sauce becomes glossy and coats the noodles.
8. Top with green onion or parsley and an extra crack of black pepper.

The key to perfect mug carbonara is tempering the egg properly. Let the noodles cool for a moment before adding the yolk mixture, and keep stirring to distribute the heat evenly. You're creating an emulsion, not scrambled eggs. If you're nervous, add a small splash of cold water to the mug before the egg to lower the temperature insurance policy.