- Secrets of Japan’s soul food -
Ramen seems to be on its way to conquering the world. It’s not unusual nowadays to see long lines outside ramen shops in New York, London, Paris, or Hong Kong. Though ramen was once viewed as a quick, cheap, and tasty meal for common folk, today there are even Michelin-listed ramen eateries. Why do these noodles have such a magical attraction, and what keeps people going back for more? Let’s explore what makes ramen so satisfying, survey some different varieties, and look at what’s on the horizon as it continues to evolve.
Shoyu (soy sauce) ramen
Shoyu ramen is the most widely available and popular type of ramen. The broth is flavored with soy sauce, an essential seasoning in Japanese cuisine. The flavor may vary by region due to differences in the type of soy sauce used in the broth. (Take-chan Niboshi Ramen, Chofu branch)
Tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen
Tonkotsu ramen is said to have been created in Kurume in Kyushu,but other Kyushu areas like Hakata and Kumamoto are known for their versions as well. The cloudy, pale stock is made by boiling pork bones over high heat for hours. Demand for tonkotsu ramen began spreading in Tokyo and surrounding areas in the 1980s. (Hakata Nagahama Ramen Tanaka Shoten, main branch)
Tsukemen (dipped ramen)
Cooked noodles are cooled and served alongside a bowl of warm dipping sauce. Tsukemen was first created by Kazuo Yamagishi, founder of the Taishoken chain of ramen shops, in 1955. One type of tsukemen with a rich, fish-based dipping sauce started to gain wide popularity around 2007. (Seitoku) Miso (bean paste) ramen. As the name indicates, the broth of this type of ramen is seasoned with miso, which imparts a distinctive,full-bodied flavor. Miso ramen originated in Sapporo, Hokkaido, after World War II. It’s a perfect dish for cold weather, with a thin film of pork fat on top of the broth to keep it piping hot. (Menya Saimi).
Shio (salt) ramen
Shio ramen brings the flavor of the broth to the fore. According to legend, the first Japanese person to eat ramen, Lord Tokugawa Mitsukuni (1628–1701) of the Mito domain, was served shio ramen by a Confucian scholar from China during the Edo period. (Motenashi Kuroki)
Miso (bean paste)
As the name indicates, the broth of this type of ramen is seasoned with miso, which imparts a distinctive, full-bodied flavor. Miso ramen originated in Sapporo,Hokkaido, after World War II. It’s a perfect dish for cold weather, with a thin film of pork fat on top of the broth to keep it piping hot. (Menya Saimi)
Photography by Wataru Nishiyama, Ryuichiro Sato,and Hayato Ishiyama.
Text by Mieko Otaki In cooperation with Hayato Ishiyama.
Translation by Julie Kuma
Copy Edit by Katherine Heins
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