Ramen - What is it and how is it made

Ramen is a Japanese dish of ancient origin. The word ramen comes from combining two characters 拉 麺, which means “spread noodles.” The plate appeared in Japan in the 1910s and has grown in popularity today.

Although each region of Japan has its ramen recipe, the basic preparation consists of different Japanese noodles accompanied by a broth made from meat, miso, and soy sauce.

Initially, the ramen was prepared only in exceptional Japanese restaurants. Nowadays, you can cook easily and quickly at home: the noodles and sauces are sold in any store or supermarket.

Ramen: What is it?

Ramen is an Asian dish made from wheat noodles. It is a Japanese soup made from meat, fish, or fermented broth that contains vegetables and other ingredients. Ramen is famous in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cuisine in its many variations.

To make ramen at home, you will need special noodles, soy sauce (you can also use teriyaki sauce, kimchi, and miso paste), vegetables, seeds, and spices. As well as the base of the soup: beef, pork, fish, chicken, eggs, tofu, or dried seaweed.

Since ramen is one of the main dishes in Asian cuisine, there are many recipes. Both the appearance of the noodles and the base of the soup can vary. In short, you can adapt your ramen dish according to your ingredients.

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How to make ramen at home? – Easy step by step recipe

Traditionally, ramen noodles consist of four ingredients: water, salt, wheat flour, and a tablespoon of alkaline water (this is what gives it a characteristic yellow tint). However, you can use rice, buckwheat, or even egg-based noodles at home.

The broth is cooked separately, and the noodles are added almost at the end. When ramen is served, a portion of noodles is poured with hot broth, and additional ingredients are added on top: vegetables, spices, tofu, etc. Making simple ramen can take 20 minutes, and a complex gourmet version can take hours.

The quickest way to make ramen at home is its vegetarian version based on soy sauce broth or miso pasta – cooking a complete beef or pork broth will take about an hour. You will need greens (cabbage, leek, parsley), a lemon wedge, ginger, hot red pepper (to taste), mushrooms, and tofu.

How to make ramen at home :

  1. Prepare the heat

For the broth, you need about 250 ml of water per serving of ramen. Finely chop available vegetables, add to cold water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Add finely chopped ginger, red bell pepper, soy sauce, and a tablespoon of brown sugar—Cook for 5 minutes.

  1. Fry the vegetables, mushrooms, and meat

Fry the finely chopped mushrooms, meat, or other ingredients in a separate pan. Not only tofu is suitable, but also chicken, beef, or pork. It is best to fry in sesame oil; it gives the ramen a traditional spicy flavor of the island.

  1. Boil the eggs

A recipe for ramen at home can include eggs. It is recommended to cook them “in a bag,” put the eggs in a pot with cold water, boil, and cook for 4 minutes. Before serving, cut in half.

  1. Boil the noodles

Remember to use special wheat or egg noodles, rice, or buckwheat for cooking ramen. Cook time is best indicated on the packaging but is generally about 3-5 minutes.

  1. Mix the ingredients

Put the ramen in the bowl: start with the noodles, then add the broth, then put the fried filling, eggs, etc. The dish is served hot.

How to eat ramen?

Although most soups drink the liquid first, the ramen is eaten in the opposite order. First, you need to eat noodles, meat, and other ingredients; then, you need to drink the broth. Traditionally, toothpicks are used for noodles, and it is recommended not to roll them. That is, take them out of the bowl.

Since the ramen is served extremely hot (and must be eaten quickly enough so that the noodles don’t become mushy), you need to be careful not to burn yourself. As for the sounds that are generated when eating, in Asia, they consider it as one of the essential things when eating ramen and the best praise for the cook.

Ingredient options

Although ramen can contain hundreds of ingredients, the most important are Japanese noodles, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Using teriyaki sauce will add spice, including rice wine and sugar will give it that special bittersweet touch.

Note that the secret to the flavor of ramen is explained by the natural flavor enhancer that is part of the soy sauce. In combination with proteins and fats, monosodium glutamate improves food to taste.

Although studies disprove the health effects of MSG, the flavor enhancer increases appetite and can lead to overeating. In moderate quantities, it is allowed. It is also essential that wheat ramen noodles can have a high glycemic index and can be pretty high in calories.

ABSTRACT

Ramen is a Japanese dish made of noodles in a broth with soy sauce with vegetables and other ingredients. Depending on the different countries and regions, there are ramen recipes with beef, pork, chicken, fish, shellfish, and seaweed.

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