Ramen is a classic Japanese dish that is popular throughout the country and beyond. Known for its signature noodles and unique broth, this comfort food is also an easy meal to make at home.

Toppings

A great way to spice up your ramen is by adding in different toppings. These can include chashu (pork), tamago (egg) or miso. Other popular toppings can include bamboo shoots, bean sprouts and sliced cabbage.

Soup Broth

The key to a good ramen broth is choosing the right ingredients. Whether you opt for shoyu, shio or a combination of the three, it’s important to choose the right ingredients so that your soup is full of flavor.

For example, you might want to avoid using light coconut milk for your ramen soup as this will not give it the rich flavour that you are looking for. Instead, you can use a low-sodium chicken stock and add extra ingredients that will really boost the flavour.

Toppings

Toppings are an essential part of any ramen dish, as they help to balance the flavour and bring everything together. They also add texture and depth to the ramen.

Toppers for ramen can range from spicy sriracha and pickled ginger to grilled pork and green onions. Some restaurants even serve a variety of different sauces and seasonings on the side so that you can really personalise your ramen.

Tare – The tare is the key to any good ramen, as it will add a lot of the saltiness and umami that you are looking for in your ramen. Various ingredients can be used as a tare, including soy sauce, sake, kombu (kelp), niboshi (dried sardines) and even more.

Sesame Oil – This is one of the most important ingredients in this recipe, as it will give your ramen a deep nutty flavour. The best type of sesame oil is dark roasted, which will add that extra bit of fragrance to your ramen.

Garlic – A small amount of garlic cooked with the miso paste will help to develop the flavours. A few sprigs of fresh ginger will also add a kick to your ramen.

Miso – White miso is one of the key components to this dish, as it adds a unique savoury flavour to your ramen. It can be purchased at most Asian markets or in the refrigerated section of your local supermarket.

Ingredients

A basic ramen dish requires a few simple ingredients: stock, noodles and a range of toppings. These can be purchased from your local Asian shop, or you can make it yourself at home.

Once you have your ingredients, it is time to prepare the broth. The stock can be made from any type of meat, vegetables or other ingredients. It’s important to use a low sodium stock as you will be adding a lot of miso and soy sauce, which can contain plenty of salt.

The ramen noodles will then be placed in the broth and simmered until it has become slightly tender. Then it is ready to be served.