In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sriracha, and rice vinegar until the sugar dissolves completely. This creates a smooth, balanced sauce without lumps. Set aside while you prepare the noodles and garlic.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the ramen noodles according to package directions, usually 3-4 minutes. Drain well in a colander and set aside. I like to reserve about 1/4 cup of the cooking water—sometimes a splash of it helps the sauce coat the noodles better if needed.

Heat the sesame oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the minced garlic and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to turn golden. Be careful not to let it brown too much or it will become bitter—you want to coax out its sweet, aromatic qualities without burning it.

Remove the pan from heat and immediately pour in the sauce mixture from Step 1, stirring well to combine with the garlic and oil. Add the cooked noodles from Step 2 to the pan and toss everything together until the noodles are evenly coated. I find that tossing for about 1-2 minutes helps the noodles absorb all those delicious garlic and sesame flavors. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved noodle cooking water to loosen it.