Ramen has taken the western world by storm, but what is this dish and what has made it so popular around the world? Simply put, ramen is a Japanese noodle soup that is a combination of a richly flavored broth, one of various types of noodles and a selection of meats or vegetables, often topped with a boiled egg. In Japan, ramen is considered fast food, and many small restaurants and street vendors offer a warming bowl of this delicious soup.
Styles of ramen broth
One of the basic ingredients is broth, which makes up the vast majority of the final dish. However, not all broths are the same; here are the most popular types.
Shio (Salt) - known as Shio Tare, these broths are often light or pale and are usually paired with chicken, fish or vegetables. This type of broth is traditionally the lightest style and is usually used when the broth is meant to be a distinct flavor of the dish.
Shoyu (Soy sauce) - known as shoyu tare, this broth is the oldest style of broth and usually consists of a mixture of chicken or vegetable broth and soy sauce. This style of broth is very popular in Japan and is often paired with chicken or seafood, very rarely is it used with pork. This broth is often salty and sweet and pairs well with many popular Ramen ingredients.
Miso - a newer addition to ramen, miso paste is now often added to the broth to create a distinct spicy flavor. It is very obvious to the eye when miso has been used in ramen, as it will make the broth opaque rather than transparent. Where Shio and Shoyu are used to add and enhance the flavor of the broth, miso paste is used to create a completely separate and complex flavor.
Tonkotsu - A slightly different approach to ramen broth, tonkotsu uses shio or shoyu, and stock made from boiling pork bones. This broth is often whitish in color and distinctly different from the other varieties above. Tonkotsu is less popular than other broths, but is still considered a popular ramen dish in Japan.
Ramen noodles
In addition to the signature broth, noodles are a very important part of ramen. They add flavor and texture to the dish and play just as important a role as the other ingredients in it.
Ramen noodles are usually prepared with lye water (potassium carbonate solution), which gives them the yellow color that is often associated with ramen, and also helps give them a good consistency to avoid getting lost in the broth. Ramen noodles can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and while some regions of Japan will serve straight noodles, some serve curly noodles.
Extras
Now you opt for broth and noodles, and side dishes are another part of delicious ramen, here are just some of the popular side dishes that regularly appear on the menu.
Chashu - These are slices of roasted or braised pork and are often sweet.
Kamaboko - These are slices of steamed fish cake.
Tamago - Hard boiled, soft boiled or often pickled egg. They are very popular on almost all types of ramen.
Nori - Nori or seaweed is a common topping for ramen, due to its many nutrients.
Menma - These are seasoned or often fermented bamboo shoots.
Corn - The texture and flavor of sweet corn is often used as a side dish.
Recipe for the best ramen
Ingredients:
1 kg bacon (skin and boneless)
1 Onion
120 g bacon (lean)
1 Green Soup Bundle (approx. 700 g)
2 Cloves of garlic
40 g ginger (fresh)
6 Shiitake mushrooms (dried, about 15 g)
6 Chicken wings (approx. 300 g)
1 piece kombu seaweed (approx. 15 g)
15 g bonito flakes
125 ml soy sauce
80 ml Mirin (Japanese rice wine)
2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar (more to taste)
3 teaspoon oil (neutral)
360 g ramen noodles (4 x 90 g)
1 Beetroot daikon cress (purple)
3 sprigs Coriander
3 Tl Togarashi (seasoning)
- Ramen noodles: Japanese wheat noodles (no instant noodles!) Kombu: dried brown seaweed, a popular condiment in Japan Bonito flakes: dried and smoked bonito (a type of tuna) All three ingredients can be purchased in Asian stores.
- Score the skin of the bacon with a sharp knife or knife so that it doesn't deform too much during cooking. Cut the onion and bacon in half. Clean the soup and cut into pieces of the same size. Crush the garlic and slice the ginger.
- In a large saucepan, stir together bacon, pancetta, greens, garlic, ginger and shiitake mushrooms. Fill with 3 liters of cold water. Rinse chicken wings in cold water, add and slowly bring to a boil. Allow broth to stand uncovered just below boiling point for 2-2:30 hours, removing rising turbidity several times.
- Remove the bacon from the broth with a slotted spoon and place in another saucepan. Pour the broth through a very fine strainer. By this point, the broth can be prepared 1-2 days in advance.
- Wipe the kombu seaweed on both sides with a damp cloth. Boil the broth with the bacon, then reduce the heat.
- Add the seaweed and bonito flakes to the broth and simmer for 30 minutes. Season the broth with soy sauce, mirin and rice vinegar. Taste and season with rice vinegar if desired.
- Remove bacon from broth with a slotted spoon and let cool. Remove kombu, pour broth through a very fine strainer into another pot. Set aside.
- Clean the spring onions, cut in half crosswise and slice lengthwise into very thin strips, put in cold water. Wash the spinach and drain well. Clean, wash and cut into 1 cm thick slices. Peel carrots, cut into small bars. Cut the shiitake mushrooms into thin slices. Clean the sugar snap peas, wash and cut lengthwise in half. Wash the corn, drain it. Clean and wash pak choi, cut lengthwise in half. Cook eggs in boiling water for 6 minutes until soft as wax, drain, rinse and peel.
- Put the spring onions in a colander and drain them very well. Cook the corn, carrots, sugar snap peas, leek and mushrooms one by one in boiling salted water (corn 3-4 min, carrots and sugar snap peas 1 min each, leek and mushrooms 30 seconds each), rinse with cold water and drain well.
- Cut bacon into bite size pieces. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry bacon on both sides until crispy. Cook pasta in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain, rinse and drain. Egg halves. Heat broth vigorously but do not boil. Cut the watercress from the bed.
- Arrange noodles, bacon, vegetables and eggs in bowls and pour hot broth over. Serve sprinkled with watercress, cilantro and togarashi.
