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Ramen! Ramen! Ramen!

By Yoshi, October 5, 2011


Autumn has come and we want to take warm foods.

One of Japanese dishes is “Ramen” (ラーメン), noodle dishes that are the most popular among Japanese. Actually it’s not seasonal food, “ramen” lovers eat them in all seasons ;)

Chinese-style wheat noodles with topping such as sliced pork called “Chashu”(チャーシュー), fish cakes called “Naruto”(Naruto), seaweed etc. And served in a meat or fish based soup flavored with seasonings.
 

 
“Ramen soup” is made from stock based on chicken or pork, combined with many ingredients such as “Kombu” (kelp), “Katsuobushi” (bonito flacks), “niboshi” (dried small sardine), beef bones, veggie etc.

Although every Ramen shop is making original soup, “Ramen Soups” are divided four categories.
 
Shio (しお, 塩, “Salt”): A pale, clear yellowish broth made with salt, chicken, veggie, fish etc.

 
 
Shoyu (しょうゆ, 醤油, “soy sauce”) : A brown and clear color broth made with soy sauce, chicken, veggie, fish etc.

 
 

Tonkotsu (とんこつ, 豚骨, “pork bone”): A think broth made from boiling pork hones, fat, and collagen for many hours and blended with chicken and vegetable stock or soy sauce.

 
 
Miso (みそ, 味噌, “bean paste”): A broth is blended “Miso” with chicken and vegetable stock.

Rica chan, thanks for this nice miso ramen’s pic! :)
 

Almost every place in Japan has its own variation of “ramen”. Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido is famous for its ramen, rich “Miso ramen”. Kitakata in Fushima (northern area) is known for its rather thick, flat, curly noodles served in a pork-and-niboshi broth. Tokyo style ramen is soy-flavored ramen. Hakata(western area) ramen has a rich, milky, pork-bone “tonkotsu” broth and rather thin, non-curly and resilient noodles.
 
 
Some “Ramen” lovers write books about their ratings of “Ramen” shops. If a Ramen shop were written with good rating in their book, we would see long queues of people waiting in front of the shop.

 
 
You can find many ramen shops in Tokyo.

 
How do I find a good ramen shop? You’d better choose crowded shops :)
Even if they are “Miso” ramen shops, their tastes are different! Try a lot and find your favorite!

:)