Hakka noodles with soft-cooked eggs and optional additional protein

Bring a medium sauce pot of water to a boil. Stir in the ramen and cook until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the ramen to a colander and rinse with cold water. Keep the water boiling for the eggs.

Fill a small bowl with ice water. Carefully lower the eggs into the boiling water and cook for exactly 5 minutes for runny yolks (for firmer yolks, cook 1 to 4 minutes longer). Transfer the eggs to the ice water to cool. Carefully peel the eggs.

While the water is heating and the ramen and eggs are cooking, prepare the vegetables and your additional protein, if using.

• Remove the stems and seeds from the sweet mini peppers; cut the peppers lengthwise into quarters.
• Trim the stem ends from the green beans if needed; cut the beans on the diagonal into 1-inch lengths.
• Trim the root ends from the scallions; thinly slice the scallions on the diagonal, keeping the light and dark green parts separate.
• Diced chicken: Cut a small corner from the packaging and drain off any excess liquid. Transfer to a plate; pat dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
• Steaks: Pat dry with a paper towel. Cut against the grain into ½-inch-thick strips, then cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper. 
• Shrimp: Rinse and drain; pat dry on a paper-towel-lined plate. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Tofu: Pat dry with paper towels; cut into ½-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 to 2 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add your additional protein and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes for jumbo shrimp, steak, or tofu; and 6 to 8 minutes for chicken. Transfer to a plate. Do not clean the pan.

In the same pan used for your additional protein, warm 1 to 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the sweet mini peppers, green beans, and light parts of the scallions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cabbage and cook until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. 

• Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and season with salt and pepper.

To the pan with the vegetables, stir in the stir-fry blend, half the ketchup (or more as desired), and as much sambal oelek as you like and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are coated and the sauce is heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in the ramen and any additional protein and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Transfer the noodle stir-fry to individual bowls. Top with the eggs, garnish with the dark green parts of the scallions, and serve any remaining sambal oelek on the side.