For a quick and easy meal, ramen is hard to beat. This popular Japanese noodle soup can be made from scratch, or purchased in instant form and boiled at home. But the real pleasure is eating ramen in a traditional shop, where customers sit in a row of small stools separated by partitions. The broth is simmered, noodles added, and then the various toppings are sprinkled on top before serving.
The basic ramen recipe begins with a stock (dashi) made from kombu and shiitake mushrooms boiled in 1 quart of water for 8 to 24 hours. This stock is mixed with a sauce called tare, which adds umami and depth to the broth. Many chefs also add a bit of dried seafood and other seasonings to create their own distinctive flavor profiles.
Another essential component of ramen is the aroma oil, which is drizzled on top. It may be a blend of animal fats, such as pork lard or chicken fat, or vegetable oils like sesame and neutral oil, that have been infused with aromatic herbs and spices. It’s a delicious and fragrant addition to the bowl.
The noodle itself is most often made from a type of wheat flour, which is kneaded, steamed, and then cut into thin sheets or strips. The strips are then woven together into bundles that are lightly fried in oil, which gives them their texture and prevents them from sticking to each other. This is what makes the noodles unique to ramen.
Other essential ingredients include the chashu, or grilled and sliced pork. This is a key protein source, and it adds a richness to the soup. Some shops serve boiled and marinated pork slices, while others grill fatty cuts such as belly or ribs. A variety of other togel hongkong meats, seafood, tofu, and vegetables are also common.
A popular addition is kamaboko, which is a steamed fish cake. A typical variation is naruto, a sawtooth-edged white fish cake with pink spiral designs. Another favorite is ajitama, a boiled egg that’s been marinated in soy sauce. And a bowl of ramen isn’t complete without the garnishes, which are almost as important as the broth itself. Spring onion, bamboo shoots, enoki mushrooms, and nori seaweed are all common additions. Other options include roasted tomato or pumpkin, bok choy, steamed spinach, kale, and other Asian greens.
Some ramen shops have short menus with only a few variations on their specialty bowls and others don’t offer side dishes at all. To streamline the ordering process, many use a vending machine where you select the noodle, toppings, and sides that you want to dispense tickets for; you then pass these to the cook. Other ramen shops have open kitchens, where you can watch the cook prepare your bowl. And some even have a special booth for families to enjoy their meals together.