Asian cuisine has many tasty dishes, including different types of ramen. You’ve probably heard of at least one dish, such as Miso ramen or Shoyu ramen. But, does ramen have noodles and how is it typically made?
Does ramen have noodles? Yes, it’s a traditional Japanese noodle dish. Ramen is made of Chinese-style noodles made out of wheat, served in a broth that’s meat-based. It’s a dish often flavored with miso or soy sauce, with added toppings. The toppings used can be nori seaweed, scallions, sliced pork meat, and menma.
Nearly all regions in Japan have their own variation of ramen. Miso ramen originates from Hokkaido, while Kyushu has tonkotsu (made with pork bone broth).
Does Ramen Have Noodles?
Ramen and noodles are almost one and the same because ramen is a tasty noodle dish from Japan, known throughout the world. Its main ingredients are Chinese-style wheat noodles (they are not made out of rice) (chūkamen) served in a meat-based broth. It’s often served with toppings such as sliced barbecued pork made in Cantonese style (chāshū,) nori (dried seaweed,) menma (a condiment made from bamboo shoots that were Lacto-fermented,) and scallions, and is often flavored with soy sauce or miso. Ramen has its origins in Chinese noodle meals, and it is found in practically every region of Japan.
A Bit of History Behind Ramen
Ramen is a dish originating as a Chinese wheat noodle dish, introduced in Japan in the late 19th century. Many historians claim it was brought from China with immigrants that settled in Yokohama Chinatown. The word ramen comes from the Mandarin Chinese lāmiàn (“pulled noodles”). At the beginning of 1900, there were many restaurants in Japan that served a simple dish made out of cut noodles (rather than those hand-pulled).
Make the Best Japanese Shoyu Ramen at Home
Shoyu ramen tastes delicious, although it takes some time to prepare. While making the ramen noodles itself is a daunting task, I will show you the recipe that uses store-bought noodles, which can be served in a Mino Ware Japanese bowl. It takes some time and patience to prepare everything, but the end result is magical.
You will need to prepare some dashi – a clear, basic stock produced from katsuobushi (dried fish shavings) and kombu (kelp). Or find the store-bought version in powder. The next pre-prepared ingredients are tare – concentrated soy sauce, nitamago – soft boiled egg, marinated in tare. It couldn’t be completed without chashu – sliced barbecued pork.
The List of Ingredients
For stock, use the following ingredients:
- 8 cups of chicken broth,
- 16 dried shiitake mushrooms,
- 1oz kombu,
- 0.7oz dried bonito flakes (about 2 c. loosely packed).
The tare and chashu will include:
- 1 1/4 cups of soy sauce,
- 1 1/4 cups of mirin,
- 1/2 cups of sake,
- 1 1/2 cups of water,
- 1/4 cups of granulated sugar,
- 2 tablespoons of packed brown sugar,
- 1 2″ piece fresh ginger, sliced,
- 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed,
- 3 green onions, cut in half,
- 1 lb. pork belly, skin on, cut into thin strips.
Once the chicken broth has been brought to a light simmer, add mushrooms and kombu, removed from heat. After 5 minutes, add bonito. The next is tare – add all the ingredients and simmer over low heat while you add pork and 6 cups of water and let it simmer in another saucepan. The drained pork is then placed in the tare pot, brought to a simmer, and then cooked until tender. The pork should be stored separately.
Boil 6 cups of water and simmer eggs. After they are cooked, peel them and place them in the pork-marinade liquid. Leave them in the marinade for at least 4 hours, refrigerated. The next are egg ramen noodles – cook them, drain, while you warm dashi and shiitake in which you’ll add noodles and simmer for 1 minute. Add all the other ingredients and serve.
The table below shows how much time you’ll need to prepare Shoyu, compared to garlicky shrimp ramen. Although Shoyu is well worth the effort.
| Servings | Preparation time | Total time | |
| Shoyu ramen | 4 servings | 0 hours 30 minutes | 6 hours 30 minutes |
| Garlicky shrimp ramen | 1 serving | 0 hours 10 minutes | 0 hours 30 minutes |
In the End, You Can Get the Best Store-Bought Ramen Noodles
If you are not in the mood for cooking or simply can’t find enough time, you can pick among the best ramen on Amazon. These include brands such as Nongshim Shin Black noodle soup or Maruchan Ramen. While it won’t be a real substitute for restaurant-made or homemade ramen, it can make most Asian food lovers happy. These instant noodles are budget-friendly and easy to prepare, so they could be considered the best go-to ramen for those in a hurry.