Japan – Ramen ( Japanese Noodles Soup )

by Zayna Khan

Ramen is a special dish from Japanese cuisine. It is actually a soup of chicken, mutton or fish, or any seafood. This is a special broth kind of a thin soup having soya sauce in it. It also has noodles made up of wheat. It has also a piece of pork or pork slices served with it. It has seasonings like white pepper, black pepper, seaweeds, garlic and red chillies etc on it.

It is also known as SHINA SOBA or CHUKA SOBA in different areas of Japan. This is not only a basic kind of soup but it has come up with many other varieties like you can add different toppings with the preferences

1. Green onions
2. baked pork slices
3. butter
4. olive oil
5. sesame oil
6. soya sauce
7. corns
8. sprouts etc

Two main ingredients of this Japanese ramen are :

BROTH / SOUP

Broth of any meat can be used in this dish like chicken, mutton, etc. But the traditional and preferred meat used in this dish is seafood. Chicken ramen is very popular nowadays in Japan. But Pork Ramen is giving the kick to mouth if you love the traditionally cooked ramen.

This is the basic kind of soup now we can add the additional seasoning to this soup/ broth. The flavors and toppings are different in different areas of Japan. Vegetables can also be used to make this broth or soup. Katsuobushi is a dried kind of tuna fish added to Ramen. Sometimes only this ingredient is used to make this broth added into ramen.

NOODLES

Like every noodle, it is made from wheat, salt, and water / KANSUI. Ramen noodles and Udon noodles are almost the same kinds of noodles made from wheat. Plain flour can be used in making the noodles but traditionally this is only used in Ramen.

Ramen noodles can be the same as thin noodles but it can be formed in many shapes and thicknesses. It can be plain noodles, ribbons. Fresh noodles are made and served.

TOPPINGS

1. Shoyu ( soya sauce )
2. Shio ( salted )
3. Miso ( fish )
4. Kare ( Curry ) etc

INGREDIENTS OF MAKING RAMEN

For soup

1. Pork : 1 pound
2. chicken : 1/2 pound
3. Fish sauce : 3 tablespoons
4. Rice vinegar : 1 cup
5. Garlic crushed : 3 cloves
6. Olive oil : 2 tablespoons
7. Soya sauce : 1 cup
8. Oyster sauce : 2 teaspoons
9. Salt : to taste
10. Onions : 1 chopped
11. Ginger chopped : 1 teaspoon

For Toppings

1. Ramen eggs ( boiled )
2. Spring onions
3. sesame seeds
4. seaweeds
5. olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS OF COOKING RAMEN

Broth

To make broth we have to add onions into a cooking pot with oil. After 2 minutes simmering, add garlic ginger paste. Now add chicken and pork to saute it for a while then add about 1 liter of water with all the other ingredients into chicken and pork mixture. Then let them cook until they get assembled and tendered completely.

Ramen eggs

To prepare ramen noodles, Just Boil the water and add eggs into boiling water for 8 minutes. After minutes, add these boiled eggs quickly into cold water for further 8 minutes. Now peel them off and can be served over the ramen.

Ramen noodles

Noodles preprations, bring a boiling water and add noodles over it and let them cook for 5 minutes. After that cool them and add to the prepared soup.

Toppings

Toppings of choice is added over the ramen and it is good to serve.