Momofuku, New York. Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop, New York. Biwa, Portland. Toki Underground, Washington. Award winning or just immensely popular, these stateside ramen shops are just the tip of the iceberg. What used to be a vastly ignored Japanese dish is now being taken seriously
– very seriously – by chefs all over the world, taking their lead from New York, the central city of culinary success. And while New York may have propelled ramen to international popularity, traditionalists would say that the care, attention, and devotion given to these bowls of broth and noodles all started in Japan. In Japan, the preparation of ramen is a mix of art and craftsmanship.
A bowl of ramen is also the perfect meal, with starch, vegetables, and protein simmered gently into a flavorful bowl of broth, ideal for dinner and the answer to late night cravings. It’s no surprise at all that there are over 20 000 ramen restaurants in Tokyo alone.
A ramen restaurant is Japanese through and through. There’s no waiting at the bar, no cocktails, no lounging. You get in, you order a bowl of ramen, you slurp and eat while the soup is warm and before the noodles get too soft, then you get out. Or at least that’s how things are in Japan (New York ramen joints are very different, I’m sure). It’s so Japanese in fact that some may forget it actually originated from China. But in the same way that they have added a Japanese touch to so many Western dishes, they have made ramen their own.
There are four basic types of ramen, typically categorized based on what kind of broth is used. Thanks to the vast popularity of ramen, combinations of the basic broth or modern broths like the ones used for kimchi ramen and kari (curry) ramen have become common, but these four broths are still the pillars of ramen.
1. Shoyu
Shoyu ramen is a testament to how simple ingredients, when handled properly, can give you something special. Shoyu in Japanese means soy or soy sauce. The broth is usually made by boiling chicken bones then lightly flavouring it with soy sauce. It is the most common type of ramen and it’s usually what is served when the type of broth isn’t specified.
2. Shio
Shio in Japanese means salt. Like the shoyu broth, it is also a light and clear broth, but the stock is flavoured with salt instead of soy sauce. It is usually made with chicken broth which is a universal stock; thin slices of beef or pork can still be added.
3. Miso
Miso is one of the more common ingredients in Japanese cooking but people rarely know what it actually is which is a soybean paste. With miso as the main flavouring agent, the resulting broth is a rich, thick, and brown soup that is very filling and is perfect for cold Japanese winters.
4. Tonkotsu
The tonkotsu ramen is probably the most popular kind of ramen because of its high fat
content, making for a very flavorful broth. Unlike most of the other ramen broths, tonkotsu broth is made by boiling pork bones until they have dissolved into a cloudy, white liquid. This makes for a thick, creamy soup that is additionally flavoured with even more pork fat!
The broth of the ramen is key to the goodness of every bowl but the success of the dish also depends on the noodles. Ramen noodles are made with wheat and actually come in different types. But whatever kind of noodles you might be served, it’s important that they be served firm and elastic. The last thing you want for your ramen are overcooked and soft noodles that fall apart when you try to eat them with chopsticks.
To complete the bowl, toppings like chashu (thinly sliced, fatty, braised pork), menma (preserved bamboo shoots), negi (green onions), moyashi (bean sprouts), tamago (egg boiled to a waxy stage, usually cut in half), seaweed are added. Butter is also a popular topping, often added to miso ramen and shio ramen for added depth and flavor (and fat!). Side dishes are also common, with gyoza or pot stickers being the most popular.
When you’re eating at a ramen-ya or at a ramen restaurant, you’re going to want to look like a pro instead of a clueless ramen virgin. Chopsticks will be available at the table and a Chinese-style spoon will also be provided. These two utensils will be your tools for enjoying your steaming bowl of ramen.
To eat the ramen, you’ll need to hold the chopsticks with your dominant hand and the spoon with the other hand. While using the chopsticks to pick up the noodles and the toppings, you can use the spoon to assist. People often hold the spoon underneath the chopsticks as they eat the ramen to hold the meat or to catch the rest of the noodles. The spoon is also there to drink the soup with but it’s perfectly alright to pick up the bowl and to drink from it. Don’t be afraid to make slurping sounds! Slurping will help cool the hot soup and it’s also considered a compliment to the chef. In ramen restaurants, it’s not considered impolite to leave some of the broth in the bowl but the chef will also take it as a compliment of your bowls are empty.
Eating at a ramen restaurant is also another good opportunity to learn how to use chopsticks properly. Don’t forget to make use of the chopsticks rest; don’t leave your chopsticks inside your bowl. If there isn’t a chopsticks rest available, you can rest your chopsticks across the bowl. The more you dine at Japanese restaurants, the more you’ll master using chopsticks!
This is an excerpt from the book: How to Use Chopsticks
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