Noodles + Broth + Tare + Protein + Toppings
a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles (中華麺, chūkamen) served in a broth; common flavors are soy sauce and miso, with typical toppings including sliced pork (chāshū), nori (dried seaweed), menma (bamboo shoots), and scallions. Ramen has its roots in Chinese noodle dishes and is a part of Japanese Chinese cuisine.[1] Nearly every region in Japan has its own variation of ramen, such as the tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen of Kyushu and the miso ramen of Hokkaido.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMGVjaoJZmY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmIwxqdwgrI
https://www.youtube.com/@WayofRamen
Most noodles are made from four basic ingredients: wheat flour, salt, water, and *kansui [ja]*, derived from the Chinese jiǎnshuǐ (鹼水), a type of alkaline mineral water containing sodium carbonate and usually potassium carbonate, as well as sometimes a small amount of phosphoric acid. Ramen is not to be confused with different kinds of noodle such as soba, udon, or somen.
The kansui is the distinguishing ingredient in ramen noodles
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.
Traditionally, ramen noodles were made by hand, but with growing popularity, many ramen restaurants prefer to use noodle-making machines to meet the increased demand and improve quality
ramen soup is generally made from chicken or pork, though vegetable and fish stock is also used. This base stock is often combined with dashi stock components such as katsuobushi (skipjack tuna flakes), niboshi (dried baby sardines),[37] shiitake, and kombu (kelp). Ramen stock is usually divided into two categories: chintan and paitan.
Chintan (清湯), derived from the Chinese qīngtāng ((清湯), is a clear stock, made by simmering ingredients and frequently skimming foam and scum off the top of the pot. Chintan stocks are the most common kind, and can be made from chicken, pork, vegetables and/or niboshi.
paitan (白湯), derived from the Chinese baitang (白湯) soup is broth with a typically opaque white colored appearance and a creamy consistency that rivals milk, melted butter or gravy (depending on the shop). Paitan stock is made by boiling pork or chicken bones at a high heat for hours at a time, allowing the bones to emulsify into the soup. The most well-known and common paitan stock is Tonkotsu (豚骨, 'pork bone'; not to be confused with tonkatsu). Although tonkotsu is merely a kind of broth, some people consider tonkotsu ramen (specialty of Kyushu, its birthplace) a distinct flavor category. When chicken bones are used to make a paitan stock, the resulting soup is called tori paitan (鶏白湯).