Ramen is a comforting bowl of broth, noodles and toppings that can be a filling dinner on its own or a great base for other dishes. It is also fully customizable, which makes it a perfect meal to make for yourself or your family. The soup base is a must, but you can switch up the protein (grilled chicken or chashu works well), vegetables and garnishes to your liking.

There are many different varieties of ramen, and each region or restaurant has its own unique take on the dish. However, there are a few basic ingredients that all ramen have in common. These include a fragrant stock, the noodles, and a variety of toppings.

The stock is made with chicken or beef bones, a large amount of water and spices. The spice list varies, depending on the type of ramen being served, but commonly includes garlic, onions, ginger, coriander root, star anise and chilli pepper. The addition of tare (seasoning sauce) adds a lot of umami and depth to the stock. The tare is usually a combination of soy sauce, mirin, sake, kombu, niboshi (dried sardines) and salt.

Another key ingredient is the oil that coats the top of the ramen before it is eaten. The oil has a hydrophobic property that allows it to draw up flavors from the broth and add them to the noodles. The oil also helps to prevent the ramen from becoming too thick or too hot. The most common oils used in ramen are sesame and peanut oil.

Other essential ramen toppings include a soft or hard boiled egg, called tamago in Japanese. It’s a great way to add an extra dose of protein and add some texture to the noodle soup. Another classic is nori, which has a fishy flavor and chewy texture that goes beautifully with most ramen broths. Menma, or fermented bamboo shoots, are another must-have for ramen because they add an earthy, slightly briny flavor and crunch.

Finally, the ramen is garnished with a variety of toppings and sides. These can be anything from a sprinkling of green onion to sliced, grilled or roast pork or chicken, or for a vegetarian option a fried egg, shiitake mushrooms or bok choy. To finish the bowl, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and some pickled ginger or takana mustard with chili are often added to give the dish a bit of extra zest.