All About Ramen

All About Ramen — Part 3

November 12, 2018

Kinja is currently looking to hire an experienced Sushi Chef. We would prefer someone with previous and varied experience preparing both traditional and modern Japanese Sushi. We are also looking for help in the kitchen as well as an additional server. The ability to work well with others and handle constructive advice is a must. We are an easy going family owned establishment so we are looking for someone who can fit in to that kind of an environment. At the same time we take our business very seriously in that we provide the highest quality ingredients and dishes that we can to our customers. If you are interested in and qualified for this position then please contact us

Daily Dish:

Ramen

(Part 3)

Classic Ramen style noodles served in a spicy broth of either beef or chicken. Made with egg, onion, scallions, and mixed vegetables. This isn’t the Ramen you remember from college, this is a flavor packed bowl of noodlicious delight. Our Ramen goes perfect with just about any drink and any of or amazing selection of appetizers and side dishes.

Types

A wide variety of ramen exists in Japan, with geographical and vendor-specific differences even in varieties that share the same name. Ramen can be broadly categorized by its two main ingredients: noodles and broth.

Noodles

Most noodles are made from four basic ingredients: wheat flour, salt, water, and kansui (かん水) (from kansui (鹹水, salt water)) a type of alkaline mineral water, containing sodium carbonate and usually potassium carbonate, as well as sometimes a small amount of phosphoric acid.

The kansui is the distinguishing ingredient in ramen noodles, and originated in Inner Mongolia, where some lakes contained large amounts of these minerals and whose water is said to be perfect for making these noodles. Making noodles with kansui lends them a yellowish hue as well as a firm texture. Eggs may also be substituted for kansui. Some noodles are made with neither eggs nor kansui and should only be used for yakisoba, as they have a weaker structure and are more prone to soaking up moisture and becoming extremely soft when served in soup.

Ramen comes in various shapes and lengths. It may be thick, thin, or even ribbon-like, as well as straight or wrinkled.

Soup

Ramen soup is generally made from stock based on chicken or pork, combined with a variety of ingredients such as kombu (kelp), katsuobushi (skipjack tuna flakes), niboshi (dried baby sardines), beef bones, pork bones, shiitake, and onions. Some modern Ramen broths can also be vegetable based.

Tonkotsu (豚骨, "pork bone"; not to be confused with tonkatsu) soup usually has a cloudy white colored broth. It is similar to the Chinese baitang (白湯) and has a thick broth made from boiling pork bones, fat, and collagen over high heat for many hours, which suffuses the broth with a hearty pork flavor and a creamy consistency that rivals milk, melted butter or gravy (depending on the shop).

Flavors

The resulting combination is generally divided into four categories. (although new and original variations often make this categorization less clear-cut) Described from old ones.

Shōyu (醤油, "soy sauce") ramen is the oldest of the four, it has a clear brown broth, based on a chicken and vegetable (or sometimes fish or beef) stock with plenty of soy sauce added resulting in a soup that is tangy, salty, and savory yet still fairly light on the palate. Shōyu ramen usually has curly noodles rather than straight ones, but this is not always the case. It is often adorned with marinated bamboo shoots or menma, green onions, kamaboko(fish cakes), nori (seaweed), boiled eggs, bean sprouts or black pepper; occasionally the soup will also contain chili oil or Chinese spices, and some shops serve sliced beef instead of the usual chāshū.
Shio (塩,"salt") ramen is a pale, clear, yellowish broth made with plenty of salt and any combination of chicken, vegetables, fish, and seaweed. Occasionally pork bones are also used, but they are not boiled as long as they are for tonkotsu ramen, so the soup remains light and clear. Chāshū is sometimes swapped for lean chicken meatballs, and pickled plums and kamaboko (a slice of processed fish roll sometimes served as a frilly white circle with a pink or red spiral called narutomaki) are popular toppings as well. Noodle texture and thickness varies among shio ramen, but they are usually straight rather than curly.
Miso (味噌) ramen is a relative newcomer, having reached national prominence around 1965. This uniquely Japanese ramen, which was developed in Hokkaido, features a broth that combines copious miso and is blended with oily chicken or fish broth – and sometimes with tonkotsu or lard – to create a thick, nutty, slightly sweet and very hearty soup. Miso ramen broth tends to have a robust, tangy flavor, so it stands up to a variety of flavorful toppings: spicy bean paste or tōbanjan (豆瓣醤), butter and corn, leeks, onions, bean sprouts, ground pork, cabbage, sesame seeds, white pepper, and chopped garlic are common. The noodles are typically thick, curly, and slightly chewy.
Curry (カレー) ramen was first created in 1965 in Hokkaido. The soup is mainly made with pork bones and vegetables and is seasoned with curry. The noodles are thick and curly. Toppings include chāshū, wakame, and bean sprouts. It is a specialty of Hokkaido, particularly Muroran-city (hence sometimes being called "Muroran curry ramen").

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramen

If you ever want to find out what a real bowl of Ramen is supposed to taste like, then head over to our North Division location and find out for yourself.

Dish of the Day Author: Kinja