TOKYO — When you think of ramen, it’s often as a meal that comes in little bags and costs maybe 13 cents each — the perfect meal for starving college kids. Well, it’s time to rethink ramen.

Ramen are anything but a cheap, mediocre dish. No, Ramen are a delectable and filling meal. There’s almost no end to what you can put in ramen.

Though originally a Chinese dish, ramen were introduced into Japanese culture centuries ago, and the Japanese have taken the dish and made it their own. Usually made from a chicken of pork stock, what’s included in ramen varies by location, but ingredients often include seaweed, pork and green onions. The spicy variety usually offers a good amount of heat.