Ramen at Home_ The Easy Japanese Cookbook for Classic Ramen and Bold New Flavors

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CONTENTS FOREWORD INTRODUCTION

1 RAMEN FOR EVERYONE 2 SOUPS AND TARES

Basic Clear Chicken Soup Traditional Clear Chicken Soup Tonkotsu Creamy Soup Easy-and-Quick Clear Soup Easy-and-Quick Creamy Soup Light Vegetarian Soup Vegetarian Clear Soup Thick Vegetarian Creamy Soup Shio Tare (Salt Seasoning) Vegetarian Shio Tare (Salt Seasoning) Shoyu Tare (Soy Sauce Seasoning) Vegetarian Shoyu Tare (Soy Sauce Seasoning) Basic Miso Tare Strong Miso Tare with Aka (Red) Miso Light Miso Tare with Shiro (White) Miso

3 NOODLES Chukasuimen Takasuimen

Vegetable Noodles Low-Carb Noodles Gluten-Free Noodles

4 TOPPINGS

Pork Chashu Chicken Chashu Niku Soboro (Minced Meat Topping) Negi (Scallion) Oil Chile Oil Ebi Abura (Shrimp Oil) Mayu (Blackened Garlic Paste) Sesame Paste (Tahini) Hardboiled Ajitama (Seasoned Eggs) Half-Boiled Ajitama (Seasoned Eggs) Salted Eggs Menma (Seasoned Bamboo Shoots) Kikurage (Wood Ear Mushrooms) Negi (Scallions) Green Vegetable Topping

5 SHIO RAMEN

Basic Shio Ramen Traditional Shio Ramen Green Vegetable Shio Ramen Scallion-Flavored Shio Ramen Seafood Shio Ramen Tori (Chicken) Chashu Shio Ramen Butter and Cheese Shio Ramen Shio Tantanmen

Shio Chanpon

6 SHOYU RAMEN

Basic Shoyu Ramen Traditional Shoyu Ramen Vegan Shoyu Ramen Double-Soup Shoyu Ramen Onion Shoyu Ramen Pork-Belly Chashumen Sukiyaki Beef Ramen Vegetarian Ankake Ramen

7 MISO RAMEN

Basic Miso Ramen Traditional Miso Ramen Wakame (Seaweed) Miso Ramen Butter Corn Potato Miso Ramen Seafood Miso Ramen Smoked-Salmon Miso Ramen Spicy Miso Ramen Karashibi Spicy Miso Ramen Yakimiso (Stir-Fry Miso) Ramen

8 TONKOTSU RAMEN

Basic Tonkotsu Ramen Traditional Tonkotsu Ramen Shoyu Tonkotsu Ramen Negi-Baka Tonkotsu Ramen Mayu Tonkotsu Ramen Ebi (Shrimp) Tonkotsu Ramen

Karamiso (Spicy Miso) Tonkotsu Ramen Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen Moyashi (Bean Sprout) and Chashu Tonkotsu Ramen

9 OTHER RAMEN

Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Chinese-Style Noodles) Vegan Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Chinese Noodles) Tomato Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Chinese-Style Noodles) Morioka-Style Cold Ramen Tsukemen (Dipping Noodles) Vegan Avocado Tsukemen (Dipping Noodles) Shrimp-Flavored Tsukemen (Dipping Noodles) Kotteri Tsukemen (Dipping Noodles with Thick Soup) Yakisoba (Fried Noodles) Sauce Yakisoba (Fried Noodles) Curry Yakisoba (Fried Noodles) Mazesoba (Soupless Noodles) Aburasoba (Soupless Oil Noodles) Shirunashi Tantanmen (Soupless Spicy Noodles)

10 SIDE DISHES

Vegetables and Dip Pickled Cucumbers Moyashi Namul (Seasoned Bean Sprouts) White Rice for Onigiri (Rice Balls) Yaki Onigiri (Fried Rice Balls) Chashu Onigiri (Chashu Rice Balls) Pan-Fried Gyoza (Japanese Dumplings) Age (Deep-Fried) Gyoza Yude (Boiled) Gyoza

Chashu Bowl Chashu Wraps Chashu Banh Mi Ban Ban Chashu Chicken (Szechuan Chicken in Sesame Sauce) Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) MEASUREMENTS GLOSSARY RESOURCES ABOUT THE AUTHOR

FOREWORD I met Brian in 2012, when he came to see me at my professional ramen school in Osaka. We discussed ramen wildly, and at some point the idea to develop ramen classes for foreigners was raised. We both thought it would be very interesting, and it wasn’t long before we moved forward. Soon people from all over the world were coming to the Osaka Ramen School to learn how to make ramen. Working with foreigners gave me the opportunity to teach a variety of ramen recipes to people who had specific needs. While my classes for Japanese students focused on techniques using professional equipment, I realized that I could develop ramen recipes for the home cook using simple ingredients for families all over the world. This is how I developed the recipes in this book. In these pages, Brian has simplified these recipes even further, adapting them for an American home cook while still maintaining their authenticity. I hope you enjoy. —MIYAJIMA-SENSEI, The Osaka Ramen School

INTRODUCTION I First Had Authentic Ramen In 2008, when I

finally decided to wait in the hour-long line I had seen many times at a local Tokyo ramen shop. I had been living in Japan for a year by then and, like many Americans, still thought of ramen as cheap eats for college students. Boy, was I wrong! That bowl was shockingly good: creamy tonkotsu soup, made by boiling pork bones for hours, thin noodles with a lot of bite, and a half-cooked egg with just the right consistency. I was instantly hooked on ramen and began my search for great bowls of the stuff in Tokyo, across Japan, and abroad. The biggest revelation for me was the variety of ramen: clear soups; creamy soups; underlying flavors of salt, soy sauce, and miso; unique toppings. Ramen is a newcomer on the gourmet scene, and the strict rules that are followed by other Japanese dishes don’t always apply. This means chefs can stray from the norm. Soup and Chinese-style noodles are all it takes. So long as the ramen is tasty, people will line up for it. And line up I did. As my website, Ramen Adventures, grew, so did my passion for ramen and ramen culture. I began traveling the country looking for local bowls. I sampled miso ramen from Hokkaido, tonkotsu ramen from Hakata in the south, and back fat–sprinkled soy sauce ramen from Hiroshima. The website I created has expanded to cover a thousand shops, though that is just a fraction of Japan’s 30 to 40 thousand. With new shops opening every week just in Tokyo, it’s impossible to try them all—but it’s something die-hard ramen fans, known as raota, try to do. Like many raota, I was happy to eat out every day and never thought of cooking ramen for myself at home. In 2012, I met a Miyajima-sensei from the Osaka Ramen School. (Sensei is a Japanese honorific term used after a person’s name to mean “teacher.”) He was running a school for Japanese students,

focusing on the steps needed to open a successful shop. During an intensive six-hour day, we made three soups, noodles, and all the toppings for a ramen feast. What surprised me was how approachable cooking ramen turned out to be. Some soups take many, many hours to simmer, while others can be made for a quick lunch. Toppings can be prepped in bulk and enjoyed over the next week. Ingredients can be tweaked to create completely different styles. Even vegan ramen is possible. I began working closely with the school, introducing foreign students who wanted a crash course in ramen. Some students came back for the weeklong classes. Some students returned to their home countries and opened ramen shops of their own. While the school focuses on teaching the kind of ramen that would be made in a ramen shop with professional equipment, we learned plenty of recipes that could be whipped up with little effort by a home cook. Inspired by these simple recipes, we collaborated to bring you this book. If you’ve made soup, you can make ramen. The biggest barrier faced by cooks outside of Japan is sourcing ingredients, so we chose products that can be found in many larger supermarkets—if not there, look for them in specialty stores or online. Ramen strives to maximize the level of umami in the soup—a taste sensation amplified by dried fish, seaweed, and mushrooms, as well as Western ingredients like tomatoes. Umami is one of those words that’s hard to translate, but it basically refers to the deliciously savory taste found in many foods. Take a hearty soup made from chicken and pork, mix in umami-rich products, flavor it with some robust soy sauce, and you’ve got a solid base to work from. Match it with some tasty Chinese noodles, pile on a variety of toppings, and get ready to slurp! This book is written with Westerners in mind, but these are not “Westernized” ramen recipes. They are the real thing. We’ve tried to keep them as easy as possible while not sacrificing authenticity. You’ll find a guide to the difficulty level at the start of each recipe, so you can dive into the easy ones first. The recipes also include helpful tips and lots of great information about your favorite food—ramen.

Chapter 1

RAMEN FOR EVERYONE Japanese ramen is a relatively new food not only to the world, but to Japan as well. As such, it doesn’t have the strict rules associated with many other Japanese dishes. There is, however, some key information that everyone should know: a bit of history, a bit of what makes ramen ramen, and a bit of what you’ll need to get started making ramen at home.

Origins The dish known as ramen began life as Chinese noodles. Historical records show accounts of Chinese noodles in Japan as early as 1488, though more widespread consumption didn’t start until around 1870. Japan had just opened its ports to international trade, and with this opportunity came the foods of foreign lands. Rairaiken was the first ramen shop to open, in 1910 in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood. Before this, Chinese noodles in Japan generally consisted of pork and chicken soup seasoned with salt. Rairaiken used Japanese soy sauce, topping the bowl with chashu pork (seasoned roasted pork), scallions, and pickled bamboo shoots, to create the first Japanese version of the dish. Although it can be hard to pinpoint the definition of ramen, the Chinese noodle aspect is key. Chinese noodles are made with wheat flour, water, and kansui (also known as lye water or alkaline salt—an alkaline solution that regulates the acidity in dough). The kansui is what

chemically binds the noodles together and gives them a chewy texture. It’s why fettuccine or other kinds of Italian noodles—fresh or dried—don’t make it into ramen. While Japanese ramen soups vary greatly, they are usually meatbased, as were the Chinese soups from which they evolved. They’re typically made with chicken and pork, with dried fish and shellfish adding some underlying flavors. After World War II, many people all over Japan opened small ramen stalls to feed the masses returning from war. Food was in short supply, so ramen was often made from scraps like bones and leftover vegetables. American-subsidized wheat was in high supply, and making noodles fit better with Japanese food culture than baking bread. Ramen spread around the country as a comforting, easy dish that today many consider the soul food of Japan. As people began returning to their hometowns, they brought ramen recipes with them. Hokkaido natives began mixing miso into their soups, something they thought would remind people of the miso soup they often drink at home. People from Kyushu, in the south of Japan, started cooking their pork bones longer and longer, developing the creamy tonkotsu ramen that took the country by storm in the 1980s. Local ramen styles began to develop, but it wasn’t until the 1990s that people really took notice. Mass media began reporting on new and unique ramen styles, holding competitions and staging events. A ramen museum even opened in Yokohama, with a mission to bring local styles from around the country to the second largest city in Japan. With the rise of the Internet, ramen lovers began hunting out the best shops, creating a craze that is still going strong. Although foreign countries were slow to discover ramen, there are currently over two thousand ramen shops outside of Japan. This number continues to grow, as people realize what a treat a steaming bowl of noodles can be. A 2014 survey showed that 32 percent of visitors to Japan said ramen was the food they enjoyed the most, well above sushi and tempura. The popularity of ramen has inspired modern chefs to adapt it in

their own restaurants. Chef David Chang opened Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York City to raving reviews. Ivan Orkin was one of the first Americans to run a successful ramen shop in Japan, before returning to New York to pursue his dream there. Keizo Shimamoto, a Los Angeles native, moved to Tokyo, worked at a few famous shops, then moved back to America to create the ramen burger, one of the biggest food trends of the past decade. Ramen chefs from Japan took note, and some of the country’s hottest chefs are opening shops overseas. Chefs like Ikuta-san from the shop Nagi and Takeda-san from Keisuke have been focusing on the budding Asian market, while others, like Shono-san from the famous Mensho, have opened up in America.

THE FAMOUS INSTANT NOODLE In 1958, Momofuku Ando, the founder of Nissin Foods Products, invented instant ramen. Ando had seen a long line of people waiting for ramen in the cold at a black market near Umeda Station in Osaka. This sparked the idea to create ramen that was more accessible for the average person. He developed his first instant ramen, Chicken Ramen, in his home shed. The key was to fry the cooked noodles in extremely hot oil, a technique similar to tempura. In 1971, Ando invented Cup Noodles, the first ramen packed in a disposable cup. Currently around the world, over 1

billion servings of instant noodles are consumed each year. Though instant noodles have a bad rap, the range in quality in Japan is huge. Limited-edition Cup Noodles are made in collaboration with famous shops, and the masters make sure the quality is up to their standards. Bowls come with separate packets of concentrated soup, oils, fats, and seasonings. Some of these use nearly fresh noodles and have a shelf life of only a few weeks.

Ramen Tools Ramen is simply a soup-and-noodle dish, and it can be made with a relatively small collection of equipment. Because it is served immediately, the key is having equipment that makes ladling soup, mixing in seasonings, boiling and straining noodles, and slicing toppings as seamless and speedy as possible. I’ve divided this list into the tools you really must have at your kitchen and some optional tools that will make your life so much easier.

Must-Haves Large stockpot. A 10-quart stockpot will make plenty of soup. Remember that you must simmer the soup and boil the noodles at the same time, so you may need two stockpots, depending on how much ramen you are making at one time. Saucepan. While you’ll use the large stockpot to make broth, a 2-quart saucepan is handy for heating just enough soup for two bowls at a time. Deep fine-mesh strainer. This is a strainer shaped almost like a saucepan, with a handle for grasping. Ramen shops use very deep metal strainers with long handles to shake the excess water off the noodles. Any kind of strainer will work, but the deep ones are easier to shake without the noodles falling out onto the floor (an easy way to ruin all your hard work).

A good knife. Your toppings should be cleanly and evenly cut, and for that you’ll need a good, sharp knife. A Japanese santoku or a chef’s knife will suffice. Plastic containers for liquids and toppings. Small containers to hold your oils, seasoning liquids, and precut toppings will save a lot of time— something you don’t have much of when assembling a bowl of ramen. Kitchen scale. You’ll need to weigh many of your ingredients. A small battery-powered digital scale is easy to use and will give you precise weights in small increments. Spice grinder. You’ll need this to grind the ingredients in the tares (seasoning liquid). A coffee grinder works fine, but you don’t want to use the same one you grind your coffee in, because you’ll get coffee flavors in your tare and fish flavors in your coffee. Best to keep a separate grinder just for cooking. Measuring spoons and ladles. The amount of each liquid you add to a bowl of ramen is very precise, so you’ll need to measure carefully. Use a different measuring spoon or ladle for each liquid so the flavors don’t mix.

Optional Pressure cooker. A pressure cooker can speed up the process of making creamy soups. Creamy tonkotsu pork broths may be cooked for over 24 hours in a stockpot, but the high heat of a pressure cooker can draw out the collagen in the bones in as little as a few hours. Pasta machines. If a ramen shop chooses to make their own noodles, they will often buy a professional-grade noodle machine, at costs of up to $20,000. These pro machines churn out more than a hundred noodle servings per hour. Home machines are much more practical for small amounts and range from high-tech models to simple handcranked pasta rollers. If you plan to make your own noodles, you will definitely need a pasta machine to roll the dough into thin, even sheets for cutting the noodles. But how fancy the machine must be is entirely up to you.

Ramen bowls and spoons. Ceramic bowls designed for ramen will hold the heat of the soup better, making your finished dish look all the more authentic. Ramen spoons are also ceramic, and have a deep bowl to hold plenty of soup and even some toppings. They also have a little hook at the end of the handle that rests on the edge of the bowl and keeps the spoon from drowning in your ramen. Chopsticks. Although you can eat your ramen with a fork, slurping with a pair of chopsticks is the best way to enjoy a hot bowl. And eating noodles with chopsticks is easier than you think! Pepper mills. One of the only universal countertop seasonings in ramen shops is black pepper. Freshly ground black pepper is so much better than preground. Some shops also have white pepper (it matches nicely with creamy soups), and once in a blue moon you’ll see pink peppercorns. Sesame-seed grinder. This special kind of spice grinder is designed for sesame seeds. Ground sesame is a common topping for creamy tonkotsu ramen. You can get a hand-crank version for under $10. Garlic press. Some people love a clove of freshly pressed garlic in their ramen. And others like two or three.

The Pantry Familiarizing yourself with some basic pantry items will make preparing authentic ramen at home all the more approachable. The following are the ingredients that appear over and over again in this book’s many recipes. Gathering these staples might be one of the harder parts of preparing ramen at home, but once you have everything, working through the recipes is the easy part. Some of these ingredients might feel unfamiliar, but don’t be deterred. You can find them all online or at your local Asian market.

Dried shiitake mushrooms. Dried shiitake mushrooms work wonders for infusing a broth with umami. They can be bought relatively cheap in large quantities and stored in a cool, dry place. Dried mushrooms can be kept for two to three years without any problems. Dried shrimp or dried fish. Dried shrimp, fish, and other ocean products are a common ingredient in Asian cuisine. They will slowly lose their flavor over time, so it is best to store them in a refrigerator or use within a few months if stored in a dry place.

Chile pepper flakes. Good for adding a little kick to relatively mild Japanese cooking. Keep your chile pepper flakes with the rest of your spices for up to two years. Katsuobushi (bonito fish flakes). Bonito, also called skipjack tuna, is a fish that is dried and used in Japanese dashi stock. When used with konbu, it creates a huge amount of umami. The flakes are thinly shaved pieces of the larger fish and can be bought preshaved. Of course, you can shave your own, but it requires specialty equipment and hard-tofind fish. Keep your bonito dry, and it will last six months to a year. Konbu (kelp seaweed). One of the base ingredients for Japanese dashi stock. Konbu seaweed comes dried and will last up to two years in the pantry. Mirin. A kind of sweet sake that is used in Japanese cooking for adding flavor. Most mirin isn’t made for consumption, but some of the higherend stuff can be enjoyed like a nice sherry. It will keep in your pantry for up to two years. Miso. Made from fermented soybeans, salt, and sometimes grains. As it is a fermented food, it can last up to a year before losing flavor. Miso has myriad uses, from a marinade for fish and meat, to a flavor enhancer for sauces and soups. Nori. Dried seaweed like nori (also called laver) adds a nice oceany flavor to food when used as a topping. Keep it in the pantry for two to four months, or four to six months in the refrigerator. Sake. A Japanese alcohol made with rice. Like wine, sake has many levels of quality. Use an inexpensive one for your cooking, and keep it for up to two years in the pantry. Soy sauce. A pantry staple for many countries. Soy sauce can often be used in place of salt, though it has a deeper flavor. Keep in mind that most soy sauce contains wheat. For a gluten-free substitution, you can use tamari. Keep unopened bottles of soy sauce for up to three years, and once opened, keep in the refrigerator for up to two years.

The Art Of Ramen

A sloppy ramen shop is easy to spot. The person plating the bowl simply throws in a spoonful of this and a dollop of that. They may be able to save a few seconds when they serve customers, but they have lost the art of ramen. A master chef, on the other hand, is engaged with every movement. Precision ladles are perfectly held, adding not a drop more or a drop less than necessary. It makes sense when you realize that a bowl of ramen has as little as 30 milliliters of tare (the seasoning that determines how salty the dish will be). A miss of a few milliliters isn’t much to look at, but a drop too much will make the soup overly salty; too little of the aromatic oil and the soup lacks depth. Likewise, add too much dried fish powder and the ramen is much too bitter. One aspect of good ramen is consistency. If a shop gains fame for a light-tasting bowl of shio ramen, and the amount of saltiness changes a month later, they will quickly find their keen fan base has moved on to another restaurant. This can be a problem with soups, as simmering a broth that already has salt in it concentrates the salt and changes the flavor drastically. Ramen gets around this by using tare, a highly concentrated seasoning liquid that is prepared separately from the soup. This, along with aromatic oils, fats, and spices, is all added directly to the bowl just before adding the noodles. Soup, tare, oils, noodles, and toppings are considered the five elements of a good bowl of ramen. Although ramen comes together quickly, it is not fast food; it is a cuisine. The idea of shokunin, an artisan doing something carefully, beautifully, and with their best effort, is heavily respected in Japan’s culinary world. Many ramen masters make only one or two variations of the same dish, over and over again for many years. Their customers know that they will get the same-tasting bowl that they love every time. In Japan they say it takes ten thousand hours to master something, and this approach can be seen in the consistency of great ramen.

Build Your Own You build a bowl of ramen by adding, in this order:

1. Tare, a seasoned flavor liquid for adding saltiness 2. Flavored oils that add the taste of aromatic vegetables or spices 3. Soup 4. Cooked noodles 5. Meat or other protein or vegetable toppings that add some variety in flavor and texture 6. Garnishes (such as pickles or scallions) that add a bit of splash to an otherwise colorless bowl In the most basic, classic bowl of ramen, the toppings are: • • • • •

Two slices of pork chashu Sliced scallion Menma (pickled bamboo shoots) Ajitama (half-cooked seasoned egg) Naruto (white fish cake with a pink spiral)

A good bowl of ramen is something personal. Some people like a lot of big, in-your-face flavors, while others want subtle elegance. Some people want huge amounts of fat; the more oil the better. Some bowls can be spicy, some mild. Some people want their ramen to resemble a pizza tomato sauce with a side of anchovies. Nothing is off the table. Good ramen is good ramen. That said, a great bowl of ramen usually has two main flavor components—the impact and the aftertaste. Impact in ramen is the salt flavors that hit your palate first. Most of this comes from the salt, soy sauce, or miso used in the tare seasoning. Other big impact flavors come from the use of dried fish and spices. The aftertaste should be smooth and full of umami. Umami is a very important aspect of Japanese cuisine. In 1908, a Japanese chemist discovered glutamic acid in konbu seaweed, a staple ingredient in the Japanese diet. He was able to isolate it as a brothy, meaty flavor. The heartiness of tomatoes, beef, and cheese is umami. And while every culture in the world has an umami aspect to their

cuisine, the Japanese combination of konbu seaweed and bonito (dried skipjack tuna) has one of the strongest combinations of umami acids. In 2002, umami was officially recognized as the fifth flavor— along with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. A bowl rich in umami will have a smooth aftertaste that can linger long after you have left the ramen shop.

How To Cook Noodles There’s more to cooking noodles than just boiling the water and tossing them in. Here are instructions for cooking delicious fresh and dried noodles. 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. 2. Put the noodles into your mesh strainer, and submerge the strainer and noodles in the boiling water. 3. Timing is key, and different noodles take different times to cook. A fresh batch of homemade ramen noodles will take 1 to 2 minutes to cook. If you bought your noodles, check the instructions on the package. Some very thick fresh noodles could take upward of 8 minutes. Some very thin dried noodles tend to cook fast, in about 1 to 2 minutes. 4. Pull the strainer out of the water and let it drain. When the water stops flowing out, give the strainer three shakes to get rid of as much excess water as you can. Don’t overshake; many people have launched their noodles right out of the strainer and onto the floor. 5. Immediately transfer the noodles gently into the soup. Although the process of assembling a bowl of ramen is quick, the preparation is very important to the final product. Most fresh noodles cook within a minute or two; five seconds too long and the noodles will go from firm and flavorful to mushy. Many ramen shops in Japan precut the toppings and lay them out in the order they will use them; this is a technique that will work very well for the home cook, too. Be

especially careful when making more than one bowl at a time. Even ramen shops that have been around for decades cook only two or three servings at a time.

PREPPING INGREDIENTS Both meat toppings and eggs should be cut with care before assembling a bowl of ramen. For fatty pork belly, do not remove the fat. On a cutting board, slice the pieces with the fat-side up, taking care to keep the shape of the meat. A sharp knife should slide right through the fat and meat with little effort. When using just one or two slices of pork belly as a topping, slice them thicker. When covering a bowl with many slices, make them as thin as possible. For rolled chashu (seasoned pork topping), be sure to remove the string before cutting. Cut the chashu straight through, so that each piece is like a small circle of pork. Thick or thin is a personal choice. For heavily seasoned chashu, a thick piece can be wonderful. Lightly seasoned chashu tastes great when sliced thin and mixed up with the soup. Half-cooked eggs can be tough to cut. The white should be firm and the yolk slightly runny. A sharp knife will work, but many ramen shops in Japan have a secret trick—fishing line. Tie a length

of fishing line to a cabinet door. Hold the egg in your hand, and run the line through it. You can get a perfect cut every time. Never cut an egg with a knife if you are holding the egg in your hand.

Expert Assembly Ramen is a dish that is assembled just before serving. It is important to serve and eat it as soon as possible, so be sure to have everything ready to go when those noodles hit the boiling water! Here’s a step-by-step guide to assembling a perfect bowl of ramen. 1. Bring a pot of water to a boil for the noodles. 2. Heat the soup to a simmer. 3. Warm a bowl with hot water. (It doesn’t need to be scalding, just warm to the touch.) 4. Pour out the hot water and wipe the bowl dry. 5. Add the tare and any oils you’ll be using to the bowl. 6. Start cooking the noodles. Start the timer the second the noodles hit the boiling water. 7. About 30 seconds before the noodles are done, ladle the soup into the bowl. 8. Strain the noodles. Hold them still above a sink until the water stops dripping. Then give the strainer three quick shakes. The noodles should be rid of any excess water. (It helps to have a deep mesh strainer for this, although any kind of strainer will work.) 9. Gently add the noodles to the soup. 10. Artfully place the toppings on top of the noodles. 11. Serve and slurp! For the home cook, however, the tare and soup can be combined in the saucepan. This will make serving multiple bowls much easier.

Shortcuts One great thing about the layers that go into a bowl of ramen is that while the noodles must be cooked fresh, you can make most of everything else ahead of time. When going the homemade route, it helps to make as much of the bowl in advance as possible. A few of the basic parts of a bowl of ramen can serve multiple purposes, and as such these unique ingredients can feature permanently among your kitchen staples.

Make Ahead Tare. Concentrated seasoning liquid is the key to a good bowl of ramen, and often when a famous shop has a “secret” recipe, they are talking about the tare. Many chefs prefer to age their tare; the flavors mellow over a few days and often improve with time. One bowl of ramen has between 2 and 4 tablespoons of tare, so one batch will last a long time. Store tare in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about two weeks or for up to six months in the freezer. Tare can be used in any kind of cooking that needs a salty kick. Fried rice with shoyu (soy sauce) tare is a great side for ramen and is also excellent served alone. A stir-fry of meat, vegetables, and tare also works as well. Soak your hardboiled eggs in diluted tare for a few days and you’ll really taste the difference. Ajitama. These half-cooked seasoned eggs are delicious after even just a few hours soaking in a seasoned solution. As time goes on, the salty brine causes the yolk to become less runny and more gooey. After just 24 hours, a seasoned egg’s yolk will have the consistency of a rich custard. Store your ajitama in the brine in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Chashu. The most difficult part about preparing a large amount of chashu (rolls of marinated and braised pork belly) beforehand is that family and friends will be sneaking slices all the time. Wrap the cooked pork piece in plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Slice off small pieces, fry them up for a minute in a frying pan, and eat

as is. Or, of course, you can use them in a bowl of ramen. Soup. Soup can be made easier as well. While a stock made with bones may take 5 or 6 hours, if you substitute ground meat, it will be finished in much less time. And while stock is typically made fresh in ramen shops, by all means double, triple, or even quadruple the soup recipes here (if you have a big enough pot!) and freeze leftovers in small containers for up to six months.

From The Store (Or Online) Noodles. While a bowl of ramen made from scratch is a beautiful thing, some parts of a bowl can easily be bought premade from a supermarket. Noodles are the best example. Hand-making noodles is laborious and difficult, and the truth is that most Japanese people buy them premade. If you can find fresh Asian noodles in a local market, that should be your first choice. (As I mentioned earlier, Italian pasta is not a substitute because it is made differently.) High-quality dried noodles are fine as well. Just make sure they are noodles meant for ramen. Buckwheat soba, udon, somen, and any kind of rice noodles are not suitable for ramen. These noodles aren’t made with the kansui (alkaline salt or lye water) that gives ramen noodles their signature bite. Anything labeled ramen or chukasoba or Chinese noodle will do the trick. Broth. Store-bought broths—chicken, beef, or vegetable—can be used, but they should always be completely unseasoned. Choose lowsodium or salt-free varieties, as well. Remember, you’ll be making your own tare seasoning. Dashi. Dashi is a Japanese stock made from umami-rich ingredients like konbu (seaweed), dried fish (such as katsuo—skipjack tuna), and dried mushrooms. Making dashi from scratch isn’t hard, but sourcing good konbu, katsuo, and dried mushrooms can be. Concentrated or powdered dashi mix can be used as a quick alternative. It’s easy to find online if your supermarket doesn’t have it. Try a 50:50 mix of meat broth and instant dashi broth, and adjust to your taste. Chashu. Some ramen shops in Japan sell 1-kilo rolls of their famous

chashu for customers to take home. Check around; there might be a Japanese restaurant, noodle shop, or grocery store in your town that sells this sort of thing. Menma. Pickled bamboo shoots can be tough to make at home, and since you use only a little on each bowl, buying a jar from the store saves a lot of work.

Expert Enjoyment The authentic ramen experience is tied to the way you serve and eat it. Here’s how they do it in Japan. SERVE THE BOWL HOT. The soup should be ladled from the saucepan just before the noodles go in. Some shops in Japan even top the bowl with a thin layer of scalding oil to keep the soup and noodles hot underneath. This may be a bit much for a bowl cooked at home, but you get the idea. DON’T WAIT TO START EATING. Once you have a bowl of ramen in front of you, dig in. At a shop in Japan, friends will stop all conversation and begin eating. Itadakimasu roughly means “thank you for the food.” Give your best itadakimasu and start eating. SLURP! Some people have a sip of the soup first, others go straight to the noodles. Slurping cools the noodles and spreads the flavor of the soup around your mouth. Slurp as loudly as you want; it shows whoever prepared your bowl that you are enjoying yourself. FINISH THE SOUP. If the ramen soup is delicious, finish the entire bowl. The best compliment to a ramen chef is returning a dry bowl, called shirokan (literally “white cleared food”). SAY THANK-YOU. The phrase gochisosama is spoken at the end of a meal and is a way to thank the chef for the food. CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF. Did all that slurping cause any collateral damage? Wipe down your place setting of any slurp splatters. There are bound to be a few.

About The Recipes All ramen is based on a mix of unseasoned soup stock and a concentrated tare seasoning liquid. The recipes here reflect the kinds of ramen that are most popular in Japan. The four basic categories of ramen are: Shio (salt). This style is light and simple. The original ramen styles in Japan were all based on salt, and in recent years many of Japan’s top ramen chefs have focused their efforts on the subtle balance needed for a good bowl of shio ramen. Shoyu (soy sauce). This ubiquitous seasoning is on almost every table in Japan, and ramen seasoned with soy sauce is probably the most popular style. Miso. This rich paste’s flavor is salty, hearty, and a bit fermented-funky. For cold-weather ramen, miso is king. And for spice lovers, miso pairs very well with the heat of chile peppers. Tonkotsu (pork bone). Tonkotsu ramen was the unexpected hit overseas that started the ramen boom in America. The mega-creamy broth uses no dairy; all that butteriness comes from boiling pork bones. In the next chapter, I’ll show you how to make soups and tares. Then we’ll talk about noodles. As I said earlier, people in Japan usually buy their noodles rather than making them, so don’t feel like you’re cheating if that’s what you do. But I want to give you recipes for every part of your ramen, if you feel you want to do it 100 percent homemade. Then you’ll find chapters on each of the four basic ramen types. We’ll also take a look at some spicy and vegetarian versions that tend to be popular outside of Japan. And finally, I’ll introduce you to some tasty side dishes. Ramen shops in Japan usually sell ramen and nothing else, but in other countries Japanese side dishes often share the menu with ramen. For all of the ramen recipes I’ll include suggestions for storebought soups and noodles—including dried noodles, in case that’s the only way you can get Asian noodles where you live. And in the

Resources section, I’ll suggest some good online sources for Japanese ingredients that may be hard to find where you live. I’ll warn you about spicy dishes with a little pepper symbol, like this . And I’ll let you know how difficult a recipe is using a scale of 1 to 5, where the difficulty is largely based on how much time the recipe requires: 1 means quick and easy, 2 means simple but needs a bit of prep, 3 means a bit more prep is involved, 4 is something you should budget more time for, and 5 means something that will take a large amount of your day and probably have your whole house smelling like a ramen shop. You’ll also find tips and information with all the recipes. Once you’ve mastered the basics, I encourage you to experiment with noodle varieties, types of soups, and your own toppings. My ultimate goal is to demystify this simple classic Japanese dish so you can slurp ramen with your friends and family as often as you like. Don’t forget to say itadakimasu and gochisosama!

Chapter 2

SOUPS AND TARES Soups The soup in ramen is quite different from Western-style soups. Western soups are usually simmered, reduced, and seasoned in the pot. Soup is ladled right into the bowl, possibly hit with a few garnishes, and served. Of course, this is a vast generalization, but the idea is simple: soups are seasoned in the pot. Ramen, on the other hand, keeps the broth and the seasonings separate until the last minute. The soup, usually made from a combination of chicken, pork, seaweed, dried mushrooms, and a few aromatic vegetables, doesn’t see salt in any form. This is a job for the tare, a Japanese word that means “sauce.” A problem with this broth-tare approach is that there is no giant pot of finished soup to taste. At ramen shops, the chef will often taste a bit of a customer’s soup to make sure it is good, but he has worked out the taste well in advance. The broth-to-tare ratio is generally 10:1, so use that as a guide when you are cooking and tasting your own. It’s all about consistency. Customers want their ramen to taste the same every time they go to the same shop. A word about quantities: You will use about 1¼ cups of soup for each bowl of ramen. So a recipe like Basic Clear Chicken Soup, which makes enough for 6 bowls of ramen, makes about 2 quarts of soup.

PRESSURE COOKER VARIATION Pressure cookers can make quick work out of making broth. You should never go above the max liquid line on your cooker, so if you need to use less liquid than a recipe calls for here, halve everything in the recipe to be safe. For recipes in this book, you can first cook the broth on the stove top for 15 to 30 minutes, skimming constantly, then cook the broth under pressure for 45 minutes, cool, remove the lid, and simmer for another 15 to 30 minutes.

Basic Clear Chicken Soup Step into an old-school ramen shop, the kind of local place that has been around for years, and they are probably making a straightforward broth. Just some chicken with an umami-rich backbone of konbu seaweed and shiitake mushrooms. Soaking the konbu and shiitake overnight makes a simple dashi that will give the broth a mellow umami aftertaste. Although this kind of soup lacks complexity, it can be really comforting. The white wine helps mellow out the meaty, earthy flavor of the chicken, yielding a mellower broth. Makes enough for 6 bowls of ramen Prep time: 30 minutes, plus overnight to soak Cook time: 4 hours Difficulty level

1 ounce dried konbu 1 dried shiitake mushroom (about 1 ounce) 3 quarts water 2 pounds chicken parts and/or bones 1 tablespoon dry white wine 1. In a large stockpot, soak the konbu and shiitake in the water overnight to make a simple dashi. 2. In a separate large pot, boil enough water to submerge the

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chicken. Rinse the chicken parts, then plunge them into the boiling water for about 3 seconds. (This essentially cleans the bird, and will mean a lot less scum to skim when cooking the broth.) Remove the chicken and place it in the pot of dashi. Turn the heat to high, and keep an eye on the broth while the temperature rises. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Just before the soup begins boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Using a long-handle slotted spoon, remove the konbu and shiitake mushroom. Add the white wine. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 4 hours. Strain the soup into a container, then reheat as necessary for each bowl of ramen. INGREDIENT TIP In Japan, ramen shops use just the chicken carcass for this soup. You can save the bones from a chicken dinner (carve the meat off, don’t nibble it off!), or use whole chicken pieces with the meat on.

Traditional Clear Chicken Soup Adding aromatics like ginger and garlic can help balance the meaty smell of chicken soup. You can use chicken carcasses or bones instead of whole pieces with meat. However, the meat will give the soup a deeper flavor, closer to a traditional American chicken soup, but with the umami undertones coming from the konbu and shiitake. Makes enough for 8 bowls of ramen Prep time: 30 minutes, plus overnight to soak Cook time: 4 hours Difficulty level

1 ounce dried konbu 1 dried shiitake mushroom (about 1 ounce) 4 quarts water 4 pounds chicken parts and/or bones ½ apple 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1. In a large stockpot, soak the konbu and shiitake in the water overnight to make a simple dashi. 2. In a separate large pot, boil enough water to submerge the

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chicken. Rinse the chicken parts, then plunge them into the boiling water for about 3 seconds. (This essentially cleans the bird, and will mean a lot less scum to skim when cooking the broth.) Remove the chicken and place it in the pot of dashi. Turn the heat to high, and keep an eye on the broth while the temperature rises. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Just before the soup begins boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Using a long-handle slotted spoon, remove the konbu and shiitake. Skim off the scum again, and add the apple half, ginger, and garlic cloves. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 4 hours. Strain the soup into a container, then reheat as necessary for each bowl of ramen. INGREDIENT TIP Konbu is dried kelp. In Japan it was once used in place of salt. It’s sold in some supermarkets, and in most Asian grocery stores and online.

Tonkotsu Creamy Soup Tonkotsu means “pork bone” in Japanese. As pork bones cook over a high heat for a long time, the creamy collagen slowly extracts, giving the soup a taste that many people describe as a heavy, buttery soy milk. Some restaurants will cook their broth for over 24 hours, constantly at a rolling boil. At home you can use a pressure cooker to save a lot of time and still make a soup with the signature buttery taste that has made tonkotsu one of the most popular styles of ramen in the world. Makes enough for 5 bowls of ramen Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes to 1 hour Difficulty level 7 pounds pork bones or pig trotters 5 quarts water (but not more than the water-limit line of your pressure cooker) 8 ounces chicken bones or chicken meat 8 ounces potatoes, peeled and halved 1. Put all the ingredients in the pressure cooker. Seal the cooker and heat to high pressure. 2. Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Release the pressure by turning off the heat and allowing the steam to vent. Remove the lid and stir the soup.

3. With the pot uncovered, turn the heat to high. Continuously stir the soup for about 10 minutes, until it becomes white and creamy. 4. Remove from the heat and strain the soup through a fine-mesh strainer. Reheat as necessary for each bowl of ramen. VARIATION TIP This ramen can be made on the stove top, but it will take a lot of time and effort. Put everything in your big stockpot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the soup becomes white and creamy —which will take about 10 hours. This is the difficult part, because you will have to frequently check your stock and give it a stir every 20 to 30 minutes. Strain and serve. Warning: Your kitchen will stink, and your neighbors will complain. Shops in Japan that cook their tonkotsu for many hours can sometimes be smelled two blocks away.

Easy-And-Quick Clear Soup One reason chicken and pork bones are used in ramen is their cost— bones are cheap. And with enough time you can get a wonderful, meaty broth from them. If you don’t have the time to make a proper bone stock, ground meat works wonders. The flavors come out quickly, and you can have a soup made in less than an hour. Of course, ground meat is much more expensive than bones, which is why you would probably never see this done in a restaurant that is trying to make ends meet. Makes enough for 6 bowls of ramen Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Difficulty level 4 pounds ground pork 2 pounds ground chicken 5 quarts water 1 scallion ¼-inch piece fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1 ounce dried konbu 1 dried shiitake mushroom (about 1 ounce)

1. In a large stockpot, mix the minced meat well. 2. Add the water, little by little, kneading the meat mixture as you go. Keep kneading the meat until the mixture is smooth and wet, 10 to 15 minutes. 3. Add the scallion, ginger, garlic, konbu, and shiitake. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to avoid scorching the meat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes. 4. Remove from the heat and strain the soup through a strainer. If you have two strainers, use the larger-mesh one first, followed by the finer-mesh one. Reheat as necessary for each bowl of ramen. INGREDIENT TIP You can find dried shiitake mushrooms in Asian grocery stores and online. They’ll add a deep, savory flavor to your soup. Choose whole mushrooms, not presliced. Thick mushrooms with deep white fissures on the caps tend to be most flavorful.

Easy-And-Quick Creamy Soup We can adapt our Easy-and-Quick Clear Soup recipe to make a tonkotsu-like creamy soup. By using a blender to aerate the soup, the fat from the meat will become more opaque and develop a thicker texture. Take care when working with hot liquids in your blender! Makes enough for 6 bowls of ramen Prep time: 35 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Difficulty level

4 pounds ground pork 2 pounds ground chicken 5 quarts water 1 scallion ¼-inch piece fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1 ounce dried konbu 1 dried shiitake mushroom (about 1 ounce) 1. In a large stockpot, mix the ground meats well. 2. Add the water, little by little, kneading the meat mixture as you go. Keep kneading the meat until the mixture is smooth and wet, 10 to

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15 minutes. Add the scallion, ginger, garlic, konbu, and dried shiitake. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to avoid scorching the meat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain the soup through a strainer. If you have two strainers, use the larger-mesh one first, followed by the finer-mesh. Blend the soup in a high-speed blender to aerate it, around 5 minutes. Reheat as necessary for each bowl of ramen.

Light Vegetarian Soup This no-cook soup is used for some cold-noodle dishes. It resembles a “souped-up” dressing for cold-noodle salad. Cold ramen is enjoyed in the summer in Japan, and chefs take advantage by adding toppings you generally wouldn’t put into a hot soup: Leafy vegetables, delicate seafood like salmon eggs, and citrus all go great with a bowl of cold ramen. Makes enough for 4 small bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes to chill Difficulty level Vegan ¾ cup sugar 1½ cups water ⅔ cup soy sauce ⅔ cup rice vinegar 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar in the water. 2. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil and mix well to blend. 3. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.

Vegetarian Clear Soup Mushrooms are a source of natural MSG, and the umami you can get from reducing mushrooms is almost as potent as the umami from a meat-based broth. Other vegetarian broth recipes rely on a lot of garlic or onion to make up for missing flavors, but the pungent odors can linger on for hours after cooking. Any mushrooms will work, but a variety is always best. I like to use shiitake, shimeji, elingi, brown beech, and oyster mushrooms. Makes enough for 3 bowls of ramen Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes to 1 hour Difficulty level Vegan 1 pound mixed fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped 1½ quarts water 1. Combine the mushrooms and water in a large stockpot. 2. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. 3. Simmer, uncovered, until the broth is reduced by half, 20 to 30 minutes. 4. Strain the soup through a fine-mesh strainer. Reheat as necessary for each bowl of ramen.

VARIATION TIP You can make this soup creamy (and still vegan) by adding 1½ cups of soy milk to the broth.

Thick Vegetarian Creamy Soup Potatoes have a relatively neutral flavor and can be used to thicken up a thin soup. Be sure to peel the potatoes first, or you’ll end up with the brown skin in the mix. You can cut the peeled potatoes into chunks before boiling or leave them whole. Cook them until you can easily slide a fork all the way to the center. Makes enough for 3 bowls of ramen Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes to 1 hour Difficulty level Vegan 4 to 8 ounces potatoes, peeled and boiled 1 recipe Vegetarian Clear Soup, cooled 1. Put the boiled potatoes into a blender. Add 1 cup of the vegetarian soup and blend on medium. 2. Slowly add the rest of the soup. Blend until incorporated. 3. Reheat as necessary for each bowl of ramen. COOKING TIP Make sure you cool the broth before blending, or the heat may cause the

blender lid to fly off, creating a massive mess!

Tares Tare is one of the most important components of a bowl of ramen. When you hear about secret recipes that follow a ramen master to the grave, the biggest secret is probably the tare. Tare literally means “sauce” in Japanese, but when it comes to ramen, try to think of it as a concentrated flavor bomb. Tare adds the salty element to a bowl of ramen, as well as high amounts of umami. Ramen is often categorized according to the type of tare used. Shoyu means “soy sauce,” so a shoyu tare is a tare made from soy sauce, and a bowl of shoyu ramen is ramen made with shoyu tare. Easy, right? Shio means “salt.” Miso is made from fermented soybeans and is a bit salty, a bit sweet, and a bit funky.

CALCULATING SALT BY WEIGHT Tares are best made with percentages of salt based on weight, so you’ll need to do a little math to figure out how much to use. I know this seems complicated, but this is absolutely the best method for making tare, because simmering and using dry ingredients will mean that the yields are inconsistent each time. Tare is a highly concentrated flavor liquid, so precision is key. You

can get that fine precision only by measuring the weight. Follow these steps to calculate salt for the tare recipes in this book. If this still seems overwhelming, I’ll give you an alternative method using measuring spoons in every recipe. But let me strongly encourage you to take a deep breath and try the percentage method. It yields much better results—and it’s really not difficult. Measure the weight of the liquid you are working with, in ounces. Do this by first putting a small bowl on your kitchen scale. Reset the scale to zero with the bowl on it (coincidentally, this is called the tare function on the scale). Now add the liquid to the bowl. The scale will show you the weight of the liquid alone, minus the bowl. Get out a calculator. Multiply the weight of the liquid in ounces by the percentage of salt needed. For example, if a recipe calls for 16 percent salt by weight, multiply the weight of the liquid by 16 percent, or 0.16. The result is how many ounces of salt to add. For example, suppose the weight of your liquid is 53 ounces: You enter into your calculator 53 × 0.16 and get the result 8.48. So now you weigh out 8.48 ounces of salt (with a digital scale these precise decimal measurements are easy) and add it to the tare.

Shio Tare (Salt Seasoning) Shio tare is considered the simplest of the tares. Pick a high-quality natural salt that you like. Many ramen shops combine two or more different salts to make their tare, so go ahead and experiment with sea salt, rock salt, or Himalayan pink salt. Just avoid iodized salt, which is put through several chemical processes that change the flavor. If you are adding salt by weight, the grain size doesn’t matter. But if you use the spoon measurements, choose a salt that is finely ground. Makes 10 servings Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Difficulty level

1 ounce dried fish (anchovy, bonito, or sardine) 1 dried shiitake mushroom (about 1 ounce) 3½ cups water 2 ounces konbu Salt, 16% by weight or ⅓ cup 1. Use a spice grinder to grind the dried fish and dried shiitake mushroom into a powder. 2. Put the water in a large stockpot and add the konbu. Bring it to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove and discard the konbu.

3. Add the fish-and-mushroom powder to the simmering water and bring it to a boil again. When it boils, remove from the heat and strain the liquid through a paper or cloth filter (a coffee filter works well for this). 4. If calculating salt by weight, measure the weight of the liquid using a kitchen scale. Add 16% of this weight in salt (see here). 5. Alternatively, you can measure out exactly 2 cups of the liquid and add ⅓ cup of salt. You will end up discarding some of the liquid you have made and as a result have less tare in the end. (Again, it’s best to use the weight measurement.) 6. Mix the salt in well. 7. The tare will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few months. INGREDIENT TIP Dried fish is becoming more and more popular as a snack and, as a result, is easier to find, especially in health food stores. You’ll find it in most Asian groceries as well—and, of course, online. It keeps for months in a cool, dry spot in the cupboard.

Vegetarian Shio Tare (Salt Seasoning) This vegetarian version of shio tare omits the dried fish, but it still has a nice amount of umami from the konbu and dried mushrooms. Makes 10 servings Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Difficulty level Vegan 1 dried shiitake mushroom (about 1 ounce) 3 cups water 2 ounces konbu Salt, 16% by weight or ⅓ cup 1. Use a spice grinder to grind the dried shiitake mushroom into a powder. 2. Put the water in a large stockpot and add the konbu. Bring it to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove and discard the konbu. 3. Add the mushroom powder to the simmering water and bring it to a boil again. When it boils, remove from the heat and strain the liquid through a paper or cloth filter (a coffee filter works well for

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this). If calculating salt by weight, measure the weight of the liquid using a kitchen scale. Add 16% of this weight in salt (see here). Alternatively, you can measure out exactly 2 cups of the liquid and add ⅓ cup of salt. You will end up discarding some of the liquid you have made and as a result have less tare in the end. (Again, it’s best to use the weight measurement.) Mix the salt in well. The tare will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few months.

Shoyu Tare (Soy Sauce Seasoning) Shoyu tare has a deeper flavor than shio tare, but the two are often served in the same shops. Be sure to use a dark soy sauce. Anything that is light or low-sodium will throw off the tare’s balance. Kikkoman soy sauce (not the less-salt or gluten-free versions) is readily available, and it will work fine for making tare. If you want to go with a unique soy sauce, like a small-batch craft version from Japan, just make sure you get something labeled “koikuchi,” which will be stronger and more suited for making tare. Makes 10 servings Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Difficulty level 1 ounce dried fish (anchovy, bonito, or sardine) 1 dried shiitake mushroom (about 1 ounce) 1¾ cups water 2 ounces konbu Salt, 17% by weight or ⅓ cup plus 1 teaspoon About 2 cups dark soy sauce 1. Use a spice grinder to grind the dried fish and dried shiitake mushroom into a powder.

2. Put the water in a large stockpot and add the konbu. Bring it to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove and discard the konbu. 3. Add the fish-and-mushroom powder to the simmering water and bring it to a boil again. When it boils, remove from the heat and strain the liquid through a paper or cloth filter (a coffee filter works well for this). 4. If measuring the salt by weight, measure the weight of the liquid using a kitchen scale. Add 17% of this weight in salt (see here). 5. Alternatively, measure out exactly 2 cups of the liquid and add ⅓ cup plus 1 teaspoon of salt. You will discard some of the liquid you made and thus have less tare in the end. (Again, it’s best to use the weight measurement.) 6. Mix the salt in well. 7. Pour the liquid-and-salt mixture into a measuring cup, then transfer to a large bowl. Measure out the same amount of soy sauce and add it to the bowl. Mix well. 8. The tare will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few months.

Vegetarian Shoyu Tare (Soy Sauce Seasoning) A vegetarian version of shoyu tare is made in the same manner, but with slightly less water and some more dried shiitake mushrooms. Again, the salt and soy sauce are added in relation to the amount of liquid. Makes 10 servings Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Difficulty level Vegan 1 dried shiitake mushroom (about 1 ounce) 1½ cups water 2 ounces konbu Salt, 17% by weight or ⅓ cup plus 1 teaspoon About 2 cups dark soy sauce 1. Use a spice grinder to grind the dried shiitake mushroom into a powder. 2. Put the water in a large stockpot and add the konbu. Bring it to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove and discard the konbu.

3. Add the mushroom powder to the simmering water and bring it to a boil again. When it boils, remove from the heat and strain the liquid through a paper or cloth filter (a coffee filter works well for this). 4. If measuring the salt by weight, measure the weight of the liquid using a kitchen scale. Add 17% of this weight in salt (see here). 5. Alternatively, you can measure out exactly 2 cups of the liquid and add ⅓ cup plus 1 teaspoon of salt. You will end up discarding some of the liquid you have made, and as a result have less tare in the end. (Again, it’s best to use the weight measurement.) 6. Mix the salt in well. 7. Pour the liquid-and-salt mixture into a measuring cup, then transfer to a large bowl. Measure out the same amount of soy sauce and add it to the bowl. Mix well. 8. The tare will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few months.

Basic Miso Tare Miso tare tends to use more ingredients than other tares, to balance out the funky, fermented flavor of miso. Some people think that miso ramen is similar to miso soup, but the two are very different. Miso ramen uses a tare that has been blended with other seasonings and spices, while miso soup is usually just a dashi broth with straight miso mixed in. This basic recipe uses a standard yellow miso, which has a mild, earthy taste. For a vegetarian version, use Vegetarian Shoyu Tare. Makes 10 servings Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight 1 pound yellow miso ⅓ cup Shoyu Tare 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger Pinch freshly ground black pepper Pinch ichimi (Japanese chili powder)

1. Put all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Stir constantly for about 10 minutes, until everything is incorporated. 3. The tare will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. INGREDIENT TIP Ichimi is simply ground red chile peppers with the seeds removed. If you can’t find the Japanese stuff, any red chili powder will work.

Strong Miso Tare With Aka (Red) Miso Red miso is made by fermenting soybeans with barley and other grains for a longer amount of time than lighter miso. Red miso has a lot of deep umami flavors that can overpower many foods, but works quite well in a hearty soup. For a vegetarian version, use Vegetarian Shoyu Tare. Makes 10 servings Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight 1 pound aka (red) miso ½ cup Shoyu Tare 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger Pinch freshly ground black pepper Pinch ichimi (Japanese chili powder)

1. Put all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Stir constantly for about 10 minutes, until everything is incorporated. 3. The tare will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. INGREDIENT TIP Miso is available fresh (usually in plastic tubs) in supermarkets, health-food stores, and Asian grocery stores. You can also buy it online in jars and vacuum-sealed packages.

Light Miso Tare With Shiro (White) Miso White miso is made from soybeans that have been fermented with rice. It has a lighter, sweeter taste than other kinds of miso, making for a subtler ramen. Some people like to top their white-miso ramen with toppings that have been heavily seasoned, to create a contrast of flavors. For a vegetarian version, use Vegetarian Shoyu Tare. Makes 10 servings Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight 1 pound shiro (white) miso ⅓ cup Shoyu Tare 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger Pinch freshly ground black pepper Pinch ichimi (Japanese chili powder) 1. Put all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat.

2. Stir constantly for about 10 minutes, until everything is incorporated. 3. The tare will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Chapter 3

NOODLES Ramen noodles are traditionally made with wheat flour, water, and liquid kansui (also known as alkaline salt or lye water). Kansui is what chemically binds the gluten together and gives ramen noodles their signature chewy bite. In recent years, some chefs have added wholegrain flour, eggs, and various spices to lend unique characteristics to their noodles. One ramen shop in Tokyo, Soranoiro, even adds dried paprika to their noodles and serves this with a vegetarian soup. Most ramen shops in Japan (and America) buy their noodles from a noodle manufacturer. Famous noodle factories, such as Mikawaya Seimen, custom-make their noodles specifically for Japanese shops using original recipes. In America, Sun Noodle provides fresh ramen noodles coast to coast for many of the country’s most popular shops. Some factories now sell their noodles through supermarkets so home cooks can buy fresh ramen noodles to cook at home. When you’re making ramen at home, you can use homemade, fresh store-bought, or even dried noodles. For those inclined to make everything from scratch, the book provides detailed recipes for homemade ramen noodles. But remember that even ramen shops in Japan buy their noodles. It’s not cheating—homemade ramen with purchased noodles is still homemade ramen. Matching the right noodles with the right soup is important. In general, thicker soups tend to go well with thicker noodles, and lighter soups with thin noodles. Regardless of the soup, ramen noodles are

best served al dente. One serving of fresh noodles is around 5 ounces. One serving of dried noodles is around 4 ounces. At ramen shops in Japan, many people spend a little more to get a bowl of omori noodles, usually an 8ounce serving or more. Occasionally, shops will serve a whole pound of noodles—something you should attempt to eat at your own risk!

HOW TO MAKE KANSUI WATER To make kansui water, dissolve ⅓ cup of liquid kansui in 4 cups of water. So if a recipe in this chapter calls for ¾ cup kansui water, that means ¾ cup of the solution you make by dissolving ⅓ cup of liquid kansui in 4 cups of water. You can find liquid kansui on Amazon.com. Search for “lye water,” and then choose the product that is also called “Potassium Carbonate & Sodium Bi-Carbonate Solution” and has some Chinese characters on the label. You can also make your own kansui water using baking soda. Baking soda has similar chemical qualities to kansui, although it needs a bit of preparation: Spread a layer of baking soda on a flat baking sheet and bake at 275°F for 1 hour. Let cool. In a large saucepan, dissolve ⅓ cup of this baked baking soda in 1 quart of water and bring to a boil. Let it cool, then top up the

water to get back to 1 quart (to compensate for evaporation). This solution can be used, undiluted, in place of regular kansui water in all the recipes in this chapter.

Chukasuimen This is your basic ramen-noodle recipe and is suitable for any bowl of ramen in this book. These are also sometimes called chukamen, or Chinese-style noodles. The higher gluten in bread flour will result in ramen with a chewier bite. These noodles should be cooked and eaten the day after you make them. By letting the noodles rest, the gluten has more time to bond, and your noodles will have a better bite. If you want the noodles to last longer, one trick used by noodle makers is to add a teaspoon of sake to the dough. This will help preserve the noodles. Makes 6 servings Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 1 to 2 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Kid-friendly 1 teaspoon salt ¾ cup kansui water (see here) 11/10 pounds (about 4 cups) bread flour Cornstarch, for dusting

1. Dissolve the salt in the kansui water. 2. Put the flour in a large ceramic or stainless steel bowl, and add the salted water little by little, mixing with your fingers. Knead the flour in the bowl until it becomes yellowish. (This color change is due to the chemical reaction of the kansui and the flour.) 3. Form the dough into a ball. Using your pasta machine’s thickest setting, run the dough through twice, dusting with cornstarch each time. 4. Reduce the thickness a bit and run the dough through again. As the sheet of pasta gets longer, cut the sheet into strips about 1 foot long. 5. Repeat at thinner and thinner settings. Go down to the secondthinnest setting. 6. Attach the cutter and run the pasta sheet through to make noodles. 7. Dust the noodles with cornstarch and portion into little bundles of about 5 ounces each. Leave in a cool, dry place for a day before cooking.

Takasuimen Takasuimen are noodles made with a higher percentage of water than chukasuimen. They have a different texture and feel, since more kansui water makes the noodles slipperier. Some towns in Japan, such as Kitakata in Fukushima prefecture, have become famous for using takasuimen. In the case of Kitakata, most shops were getting their noodles delivered, and the higher amount of kansui water helped keep the noodles from breaking down during transport. Makes 6 servings Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 1 to 2 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Kid-friendly 1 teaspoon salt ⅞ cup kansui water (see here) 11/10 pounds (about 4 cups) all-purpose flour Cornstarch, for dusting 1. Dissolve the salt in the kansui water.

2. Put the flour in a large ceramic or stainless steel bowl, and add the salted water little by little, mixing with your fingers. Knead the flour in the bowl until it becomes yellowish. (This color change is due to the chemical reaction of the kansui and the flour.) 3. Form the dough into a ball. Using your pasta machine’s thickest setting, run the dough through twice, dusting with cornstarch each time. 4. Reduce the thickness a bit and run the dough through again. As the sheet of pasta gets longer, cut the sheet into strips about 1 foot long. 5. Repeat at thinner and thinner settings. Go down to the secondthinnest setting. 6. Attach the cutter and run the pasta sheet through to make noodles. 7. Dust the noodles with cornstarch and portion into little bundles of about 5 ounces each. Leave in a cool, dry place for a day before cooking. INGREDIENT TIP There’s more kansui in these slippery noodles, but too much will give a strange, unpleasant flavor. Kansui is essentially lye, a main ingredient in soap! You really don’t want your noodles tasting like a bathroom mishap.

Vegetable Noodles A small amount of vegetable juice can add some color and flavor to ramen noodles. This is not common in Japan, but sometimes shops will make limited bowls that use a bit of juice from seasonal vegetables for a unique offering. Choose any vegetable juice you like, or a blend of several. Makes 6 servings Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 1 to 2 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Kid-friendly 1 teaspoon salt ⅞ cup kansui water (see here) 1 teaspoon vegetable juice 11/10 pounds (about 4 cups) all-purpose flour Cornstarch, for dusting 1. Dissolve the salt in the kansui water. Add the vegetable juice. 2. Put the flour in a large ceramic or stainless steel bowl, and add the

3.

4.

5. 6. 7.

salted water little by little, mixing with your fingers. Knead the flour in the bowl until the liquid is incorporated. Form the dough into a ball. Using your pasta machine’s thickest setting, run the dough through twice, dusting with cornstarch each time. Reduce the thickness a bit and run the dough through again. As the sheet of pasta gets longer, cut the sheet into strips about 1 foot long. Repeat at thinner and thinner settings. Go down to the secondthinnest setting. Attach the cutter and run the pasta sheet through to make noodles. Dust the noodles with cornstarch and portion into little bundles of about 5 ounces each. Leave in a cool, dry place for a day before cooking. VARIATION TIP Kids love noodles in bright, strange colors. Try this one as a bit of a “science experiment” to see which vegetable juices achieve the wildest results.

Low-Carb Noodles Ramen is a high-carbohydrate food, but soy flour combined with gluten can be used as an alternative noodle that is lower in carbs. Because we are using a gluten powder instead of naturally occurring gluten in wheat flour, we omit the kansui for this recipe. This means that the noodles will be less chewy, so you should hand-cut them in wide, flat strips; thin noodles won’t hold up as well in a hot soup. You could serve these with any kind of ramen, but miso or the thicker vegetarian soups work best. Makes 6 servings Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 1 to 2 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Kid-friendly 12 ounces (about 4 cups) soy flour 7 ounces gluten powder 2 cups water 1. In a large ceramic or stainless steel bowl, combine the soy flour, gluten powder, and water. Mix well with your hands until a dough

forms. 2. On a clean work surface, roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it is very thin (½ centimeter, which is less than ¼ inch). Fold the sheet of dough in half and roll out again. Repeat until you have folded and rolled it out three or four times. 3. Using a small, sharp knife, cut the dough into long strips to your desired width. This recipe works best with wide noodles. 4. Leave the noodles in a cool, dry place for a day before cooking. INGREDIENT TIP Wheat gluten (sometimes called vital wheat gluten) is sold in powdered form in many supermarkets, in the same area stocking products like grains. It’s all the gluten that’s in wheat flour, but with very little starch. Gluten is also high in protein.

Gluten-Free Noodles Gluten is a key component of chewy ramen noodles. But if you’re gluten-intolerant, you can cook store-bought gluten-free noodles— such as spaghetti or linguine—with some baking soda to add a bit of that ramen feel and flavor. Baking soda has similar chemical qualities to kansui. The key here is to cook the noodles, rinse, and reheat just before serving. Makes 5 servings Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Weeknight Kid-friendly 5 quarts water ¼ cup salt 1 pound gluten-free dry noodles 2 tablespoons baking soda

1. In a large stockpot, bring the water and salt to a boil. 2. Add the noodles and baking soda to the boiling water. 3. Cook the noodles for the cooking time stated on the package, plus 2 minutes. 4. Drain the noodles and rinse them in cold water to stop them from cooking. Set aside. 5. Just before serving, immerse the noodles in boiling water for just a moment to heat them up. INGREDIENT TIP Gluten-free noodles are even available in a few select shops in Japan. New types of gluten-free noodles hit the store shelves constantly, so feel free to experiment with what you can find at your local specialty store.

PORK CHASHU, NEGI, HARDBOILED AJITAMA, MENMA

Chapter 4

TOPPINGS Most ramen critics look at the balance of soup and noodles as the key to a good bowl. In fact, some particularly confident ramen chefs will serve kakesoba, a topping-less bowl. But toppings can make a good bowl of ramen great. The typical bowl of ramen will probably have these toppings: Chashu. This is most often roasted seasoned pork, from either the shoulder or belly, but it can also be made with chicken. Some shops go all out and serve three or four kinds of chashu on their ramen. Negi. Scallions give a bit of color and flavor to the bowl. Japanese negi is a slightly different plant than the scallion (also known as a green onion), but you can freely substitute whatever is easiest to find. Menma. Seasoned bamboo shoots have been served on Japanese ramen since the dish was first served at Rairaiken in 1910. Some shops heavily season their menma, while others let the bamboo flavor come through. Ajitama. Half-cooked seasoned eggs are often an extra topping choice at ramen shops, but many people would never eat a bowl without this delicacy. Naruto. This is the iconic white fish cake with a pink spiral in the middle. It is something people typically buy, rather than make at home. When a bowl is served, the spiral should resemble the Japanese character の when facing the eater. This character is the possessive, and it lets the customer know that the ramen is, in fact, theirs to enjoy.

Seasoned oils. Aromatic and spice oils play an important role in many styles of ramen. Simmering garlic, scallion, or seafood such as dried shrimp gives us a way to add another level of flavor to a bowl of ramen. Beyond this, your imagination is the limit. Err on the side of simplicity—but with that said, some famous Japanese ramen shops have served ramen topped with fresh vegetables, fried chicken, roast beef, pineapple, and even ice cream (which was pretty bad, to be honest).

Pork Chashu Pork chashu is a standard topping on most bowls of ramen. It can be made and seasoned in countless ways. This simple recipe uses white wine, but you could substitute Japanese sake. Be sure to buy slabs of pork with plenty of fat on them. A well-cooked piece of chashu is often about half meat and half fat. If you make more than enough chashu, save the rest for snacks or other recipes. An entire piece of cooked chashu, wrapped in plastic wrap, makes an excellent gift as well. Who needs to bring wine to a party when you have a pound of pork? Makes enough for 6 bowls of ramen Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes Difficulty level Kid-friendly 1 pound boneless pork belly or shoulder Salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 cups soy sauce ¾ cup honey ½ cup dry white wine 1. Season the pork with a little salt and pepper.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the pork and brown the meat on all sides. 3. Transfer the browned pork to a large stockpot and add the soy sauce, honey, and white wine. 4. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes. 5. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. To let the flavors soak in evenly, rotate the pork in the seasoning liquid every 10 minutes or so while it’s cooling. To make this easier, cover the top of the pork with a heavy-duty paper towel; the paper will help the liquid soak evenly into the meat. 6. Once the pork is cooled to room temperature, remove it from the seasoning liquid and discard the paper towels. The pork can be cut and used immediately, or wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for a few days. USE IT AGAIN Making chashu always leaves more than enough to top our ramen. Chapter 10 offers a few side-dish recipes that call for chashu, such as Chashu Wraps. The leftover seasoning liquid can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days and used for other recipes, like HalfBoiled Ajitama.

Chicken Chashu Chicken can be used instead of pork for chashu, though the seasoning should be diluted with water for a lighter taste. Many ramen shops in Japan include both pork and chicken chashu in their bowls for extra variety. Chicken is a major trend in the past few years, with ramen chefs sourcing the highest-quality (and most expensive) chicken for their creations. Makes enough for 6 bowls of ramen Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes Difficulty level Kid-friendly 1 pound boneless, skin-on chicken thighs 2½ cups water 2 cups soy sauce ½ cup dry white wine ¾ cup sugar 1. Roll the chicken thighs, skin-side out, into tight rolls, and secure with cooking twine. (Tie the twine with a bow that can be easily untied later.) 2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the

3. 4. 5.

6.

chicken and brown the meat on all sides. In a large stockpot, combine the water, soy sauce, white wine, and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar completely, then add the chicken. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. To let the flavors soak in evenly, rotate the chicken in the seasoning liquid every 10 minutes or so while it’s cooling. To make this easier, cover the top of the chicken with a heavy-duty paper towel; the paper will help the liquid evenly soak into the meat. Once the chicken is cooled to room temperature, remove it from the seasoning liquid and discard the paper towels. The chicken can be cut and used immediately, or wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

USE IT AGAIN Any kind of chashu makes a great snack. In Japan, otsumami (snacks) are often eaten with beer, and a plate of seasoned chashu is one of the most popular types of otsumami. Dice some chashu into bite-size cubes, heat in a skillet or microwave, top with some chopped scallions and a drizzle of soy sauce, and serve to your happy guests.

Niku Soboro (Minced Meat Topping) Minced meat stir-fry, with a bit of a spicy kick, can be served on heartier bowls of ramen. Pork is the likely choice, but chicken or beef work as well. This is also a standard topping on bowls of spicy tantanmen—a ramen interpretation of a spicy Chinese noodle dish. Makes enough for 6 bowls of ramen Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight 1 pound minced pork, chicken, or beef Salt Freshly ground black pepper ½ cup tianmianjiang (Chinese sweet bean paste) Pinch chile pepper flakes or minced fresh chile pepper 1. In a large skillet, stir-fry the minced meat over medium-high heat with a little salt and pepper. 2. When the meat is fully cooked, stir in the sweet bean paste.

3. Remove from the heat and add the chile pepper. Mix well. 4. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. INGREDIENT TIP Sweet bean paste (or sauce—they’re the same thing) is made from soybeans and fermented wheat flour. It gets its sweetness from the fermentation process rather than from added sugar. You can find jars of sweet bean sauce in Asian grocery stores or online.

Negi (Scallion) Oil For most great bowls of ramen, chefs take the time to make a flavored oil that is combined in the bowl with the soup and the tare seasoning. Scallions are an acceptable substitute for Japanese negi. The flavor is very similar, though the texture is ever so slightly different. By cooking them in oil, we create an aromatic oil that adds another layer of complexity to our ramen. Makes 1½ cups

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight 1½ cups lard (pork fat) or vegetable oil ¼ cup roughly chopped scallions (green parts only) 1. In a medium saucepan, heat the lard over medium heat to melt it. 2. Add the scallions and cook for a few minutes, stirring, until they turn light brown. 3. Take the pan off the heat and strain the negi oil into a container. Discard the scallion pieces.

4. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. VARIATION TIP You can make garlic oil in the same way, substituting ¼ cup of roughly chopped garlic for the scallions.

Chile Oil Chile oil is often served as an optional countertop condiment. For spicy bowls, it’s mixed directly with the soup to give a big, hot punch to each slurp. When using it as a condiment, add it slowly. You can always add more, but you can’t subtract. Makes 1¾ cups Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Weeknight ¼ cup water ¼ cup chile pepper flakes or hot ground chile 1½ cups sesame oil 1. In a deep saucepan, mix the water and chile pepper flakes. 2. In a small skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat to near boiling. 3. Slowly pour the oil into the chile-powder mix, taking care not to splatter the hot oil.

4. Cool the mixture and transfer to a glass jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. USE IT AGAIN Chile oil makes its way into many bowls of ramen, as well as many side dishes. It is also very readily available at Asian grocery stores, if you don’t want to make your own.

Ebi Abura (Shrimp Oil) Shrimp oil is a way to add deep oceanic flavors to a bowl of ramen. Many lighter bowls of ramen do well with the addition of shrimp oil. Try it in a light shio ramen, or as a way to add even more levels to a spicy tantanmen bowl. Makes ½ cup Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ¼ cup dried shrimp or dried shrimp powder ½ cup vegetable oil 1. If the dried shrimp are whole, use a blender or spice grinder to grind them into a fine powder. 2. In a small saucepan, combine the shrimp powder and vegetable oil. 3. Heat over high heat, stirring to mix, for a few minutes. 4. Cool and transfer to a glass jar. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. INGREDIENT TIP Dried shrimp come whole or as a powder. They have been sun-dried until there is no moisture left, and they are very small and shriveled. This preservation method also super-concentrates the salty ocean flavor. Find dried shrimp at Asian grocery stores or online.

Mayu (Blackened Garlic Paste) Mayu is traditionally served as a topping on thick tonkotsu ramen. The nearly burned garlic adds a deep, smoky taste to the soup. Certain regional styles of ramen—like the creamy tonkotsu from Kumamoto, Kyushu, in southern Japan—wouldn’t be the same without it. Makes 4½ cups Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level

1½ cups sesame oil 1½ cups vegetable oil 1½ cups lard (pork fat) or more vegetable oil 3 large garlic heads, peeled and coarsely chopped 1. In a large, deep saucepan, combine the sesame oil, vegetable oil, and lard. Heat the oils over high heat, stirring to mix. 2. Add the chopped garlic and fry until it turns dark brown or black. Remove the blackened garlic with a slotted spoon and transfer to a blender. 3. Blend the garlic with enough of the oil from the pan to make a smooth paste.

4. Transfer the mayu to a glass jar. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. COOKING TIP Don’t be afraid of the garlic looking too burned. A small amount is all it takes to season a bowl of ramen, so the strong flavor won’t overpower.

Sesame Paste (Tahini) Creamy sesame paste is often paired with spicy ramen to balance out the heat. This condiment has roots in the Middle East and Africa but can also be found in some Chinese cuisine. When ramen came to Japan, zhimajiang (the Chinese name for tahini) followed. Tahini can be found premade in many American supermarkets in the ethnic-food aisle. Makes 1½ cups Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Weeknight Kid-friendly ½ cup roasted white or black sesame seeds 1 cup sesame oil 1. Blend the sesame seeds in a blender or spice grinder to make a powder. Transfer the sesame powder in a deep saucepan.

2. In a small skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat until it is smoking hot. 3. Carefully add the hot sesame oil little by little to the sesame powder, taking care not to splatter the hot oil. Mix well. 4. Cool and transfer to a glass jar. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

COOKING EGGS 1. Soak 6 eggs in warm water to get them to room temperature. (The eggs should not be cold, as this will shock them when they are put in the boiling water.) 2. In a large pot, bring about a quart of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 3. Add the eggs to the boiling water and stir well for 2 minutes. 4. Boil the eggs without stirring for an additional 8 minutes for hardboiled eggs or an additional 5 minutes for half-boiled eggs. 5. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and transfer to an ice bath. 6. After about 1 hour, peel the eggs. COOKING TIP To make peeling easier, prick the rounded side of the egg with a pushpin before cooking. Specialty egg-prickers can be found online (or in any Japanese dollar store), gadgets that make the task super easy. Another tip for peeling the eggs is to do it directly in the ice water. Be very careful peeling eggs—a mangled egg doesn’t cut it in a bowl of ramen.

Hardboiled Ajitama (Seasoned Eggs) For most, a bowl of ramen is incomplete without an accompanying egg. The famous ajitama (seasoned egg) isn’t necessarily a standard topping at restaurants, but it is easy enough to make half a dozen at home and use them as you see fit. Be sure to save some of the seasoning liquid from the chashu, as it can serve double duty as an egg-enhancing marinade. For a vegetarian version, use teriyaki sauce instead of chashu seasoning liquid. Makes 6 eggs Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegetarian Weeknight Kid-friendly 2 cups water 1 cup seasoning liquid used for Pork Chashu or Chicken Chashu,

or teriyaki sauce ¼ cup mirin (sweet rice wine) 6 large eggs, hardboiled and peeled (see here) 1. Put the water, chashu seasoning liquid, and mirin in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Reduce to a simmer and add the hardboiled eggs. 3. Simmer until the eggs are brown, about 10 minutes. 4. Store in the refrigerator for a few days. INGREDIENT TIP Mirin is a type of rice wine similar to sake, but with less alcohol and more sugar. You don’t drink it; it’s a seasoning. It’s turning up in more and more supermarkets, and you can also find it in Asian grocery stores and online.

Half-Boiled Ajitama (Seasoned Eggs) Some people prefer their ajitama half-cooked, so the white is firm and the yolk is just a bit runny. The half-cooked style requires some precision timing, but the luscious results are worth it. For a vegetarian version, use teriyaki sauce instead of chashu seasoning liquid. Makes 6 eggs

Prep time: 5 minutes, plus overnight to marinate

Difficulty level Vegetarian Kid-friendly 2 cups water 1 cup seasoning liquid used for Pork Chashu or Chicken Chashu, or teriyaki sauce ¼ cup mirin (sweet rice wine) 6 large eggs, half-boiled and peeled (see here) Handful hanakatsuo (bonito flakes) (optional)

1. Combine the water, chashu seasoning liquid, and mirin in a plastic container with a tight-fitting cover. 2. Place the peeled eggs in the seasoning liquid. Cover the top of the eggs with a paper towel to help the liquid reach the eggs evenly all around. 3. Sprinkle the bonito flakes on top of the paper towels, if using. 4. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 5. Remove the eggs from the seasoning after 24 hours, or they will become too salty. 6. Store in the refrigerator for up to a few days. INGREDIENT TIP Bonito fish flakes can be bought online. The ones imported from Japan tend to be quite expensive, but using them as an accent to season your eggs requires only a small handful, and the taste difference is noticeable.

Salted Eggs Some ramen shops prefer to season their eggs only with salt—because sometimes you just don’t want your egg to stand out too much. You lose some of the complexity and umami that you get with ajitama, but you still get a great-tasting egg. Makes 6 eggs Prep time: 5 minutes, plus 5 to 6 hours to marinate Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegetarian Kid-friendly ¾ cup salt 2 cups water 6 large eggs 1. In a large bowl, dissolve the salt in the water at room temperature. 2. Cook the eggs hardboiled or half-boiled according to the instructions here, but do not transfer them to the ice bath or peel them. 3. Add the eggs to the salt water immediately after cooking them.

Soak for 5 to 6 hours in the refrigerator. 4. Remove the eggs from the salt water and place in an air-tight container. 5. Store in the refrigerator for up to a few days. Peel before using.

Menma (Seasoned Bamboo Shoots) Menma are dried and fermented bamboo shoots. It is a topping that the Japanese added to ramen from the earliest shops. It’s usually served as small, rectangular pieces of preserved bamboo shoot, though more and more shops are sourcing unique pieces like the tender tips or meaty stalks. You’ll find it dried (which must be reconstituted by soaking them in water) or preserved in liquid in bags, jars, or cans. Menma soaks up flavor, so rinse away whatever it was packaged in and season it with your own flavors. For a vegetarian version, use teriyaki sauce instead of chashu seasoning liquid. Makes enough for 6 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes, plus overnight to marinate Cook time: 30 minutes Difficulty level Vegan ½ cup unseasoned menma 2 cups water ½ cup seasoning liquid used for Pork Chashu or Chicken Chashu, or teriyaki sauce ¼ cup mirin (sweet rice wine)

Handful katsuobushi (bonito flakes) 1. Combine the menma, water, chashu seasoning liquid, and mirin in a medium saucepan. 2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, add the bonito flakes, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. 3. Remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer the menma and its soaking liquid to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight before using. 4. Store in the container with the liquid in the refrigerator for up to a week. INGREDIENT TIP Be sure to rinse away any of the liquid that the menma was stored or reconstituted in. The smell of menma can be notoriously funky, and you don’t want any of that affecting your ramen.

Kikurage (Wood Ear Mushrooms) Kikurage adds a great crunch to your ramen. It is very light in flavor, but when it mingles with some firm noodles and a bit of tender pork chashu, the added depth is a welcome one. Kikurage are packaged dry, so you’ll have to reconstitute them. If you don’t want to soak the kikurage overnight, you can reconstitute them in hot (but not boiling) water for about 15 minutes. Makes enough for 6 bowls of ramen

Prep time: 3 minutes, plus overnight to soak Difficulty level Vegan ½ cup dried kikurage (wood ear mushrooms) 2 cups water 1. Soak the kikurage overnight in a bowl of water. 2. Drain, then rinse thoroughly under running water. 3. You can store the reconstituted kikurage in the refrigerator for up to a day. Just before using them as a topping, quickly immerse them in boiling water.

INGREDIENT TIP Wood ear mushrooms look like little black clouds, and can be anywhere from 2 to 8 inches across when reconstituted. They are a good source of iron, protein, and fiber. Find them dried in Asian grocery stores and online.

Negi (Scallions) Negi is the Japanese name for Welsh onion, a kind of green onion native to China. For a similar taste, common scallions are a fine substitute. The white stalks have a stronger onion flavor, and the green parts offer a bit more kick. When you cut the stalk, try to keep the white and green parts separate. Plating a bowl of ramen with distinctly different parts of green onion adds depth and beauty. Makes enough for 6 bowls of ramen

Prep time: 15 minutes

Difficulty level Vegan 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped Soak the scallions in a large bowl of water for 10 to 15 minutes. (This will lessen the strong onion flavors.) Drain. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. INGREDIENT TIP Although negi is a simple ingredient that doesn’t require much prep, it is important to have it ready to go when the ramen is ready. Freshly sliced negi can be a bit harsh—a flavor that takes away from the rest of the bowl.

Green Vegetable Topping Most ramen includes a small amount of green vegetables as a topping. From light styles with clear soups to heavy styles with creamy soups, it’s nice to get some added color and vitamins in your bowl of ramen. Prep your vegetables ahead of time to avoid last-minute chopping and boiling. Use whatever greens you like: spinach, bok choy, kale, chard, and so on. Makes enough for 6 bowls of ramen Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Weeknight Kid-friendly 1 bunch leafy green vegetables, chopped 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1 teaspoon salt

1. Put the chopped vegetables, oil, and salt in a large pot. Add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Boil the vegetables for a few minutes, until they are thoroughly cooked. (The time varies by what vegetables you are cooking, but it will always be quick.) 3. Drain as much water as possible and store the vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days.

GREEN VEGETABLE SHIO RAMEN

Chapter 5

SHIO RAMEN The earliest versions of ramen in Japan, back when it was still considered a very Chinese dish, were mainly seasoned with salt. Over time, chefs started using Japanese soy sauce and miso for their deeper, more complex flavors, but shio remains a popular ramen style. In recent years, gourmet shio ramen is often regarded as the most difficult to make, and a chef who can master a good bowl of shio ramen is highly respected. Shio ramen is often described by visitors to Japan as chicken soup with a little extra. That extra is often the umami aftertaste from both the broth and the tare. The initial salty, chickeny flavors give way to a smooth finish—a taste that is amplified by a good slurp of the noodles. When it comes to ramen, there are no hard rules about which tares, soups, and noodles can or cannot be mixed. That said, each recipe inside offers useful recommendations. In general, lighter ramen are best with a clear soup, such as Traditional Clear Chicken Soup, and heavier ramen are best with a creamy soup, such as Tonkotsu Creamy Soup. For noodles, chukasuimen match well with everything, though takasuimen tend to be better with tonkotsu ramen recipes. If you buy your noodles from the store, you can often find noodles specific to the style of ramen you are making.

Basic Shio Ramen This basic shio ramen recipe is probably the simplest one in this book. A couple of slices of chicken chashu and a sprinkling of negi are all the toppings needed. Make sure you prep all the ingredients before cooking so the ramen can be served piping hot. The idea is to serve the bowl mere seconds after the noodles hit the soup. Without a lot of toppings, you can really focus on slurping the noodles and drinking all the soup. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly ½ cup Shio Tare 5 cups Basic Clear Chicken Soup 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Chicken Chashu Negi 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a

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boil over medium-high heat. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. Place a slice or two of chicken chashu and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. COOKING TIP Don’t take too much time to dish out your toppings once the noodles are in the soup. They will continue to cook, and some people say that ramen noodles last for only about 8 minutes in hot soup before getting soggy.

FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Traditional Shio Ramen A traditional bowl of shio ramen will have a few of the standard toppings to give it a distinct Japanese look. Still simple, this bowl reflects the kind of ramen that many Japanese grew up eating. Makes 4 bowls of ramen

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly ½ cup Shio Tare 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen (here) 4 to 8 slices Chicken Chashu 12 to 16 pieces Menma 4 Salted Eggs, halved Negi

1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu, 3 or 4 slices of menma, a salted egg, and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style. Toppings: Salted eggs can be found in Asian grocery stores.

Green Vegetable Shio Ramen Vegetarian ramen tends to be on the lighter side, so make sure you top this one with plenty of green vegetables. The shio tare won’t overpower them, so a variety is the way to go. Spinach, bok choy, and cabbage are a great start. Don’t choose anything too leafy, like lettuce, or it will get soggy in the soup. If you have access to an Asian market with fresh vegetables, hakusai (Chinese cabbage), komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach), and mizuna (Japanese mustard greens) are great choices. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Weeknight Kid-friendly ½ cup Vegetarian Shio Tare

5 cups Vegetarian Clear Soup 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 12 to 16 pieces Menma Green Vegetable Topping Negi 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 3 or 4 slices of menma, some cooked green vegetables, and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium vegetable broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. For a vegetarian version, find a dashi made from konbu and mushrooms. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Scallion-Flavored Shio Ramen There is a small ramen shop on the outskirts of Tokyo that covers its ramen with locally grown negi (I think the onion farm may even be owned by the chef’s parents). It’s a celebration of local produce, something we see a lot of in Japan. By using some homemade scallion oil, we can add even more kick to this bowl. Your choice of tare and broth will determine whether this is a vegetarian dish. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegetarian Weeknight ½ cup Shio Tare 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 4 to 6 tablespoons Negi Oil 4 cups chopped scallion

4 Salted Eggs, halved 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. Put 1 tablespoon of negi oil in each ramen bowl. 6. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 7. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 8. Place 1 cup of chopped scallions and 1 salted egg neatly on the ramen. (The scallions should almost cover the entire bowl.) Drizzle with an extra bit of negi oil, if desired. Serve immediately. VARIATION TIP You can substitute any kind of aromatic cooking oil for the negi oil, such as garlic or herb oil. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. For a vegetarian version, find a dashi made from konbu and mushrooms. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Seafood Shio Ramen One of the most famous places for shio ramen in Japan is Hakodate, on the southern tip of Japan’s northern island, Hokkaido. The town is also very well known for their morning fish market, where much of Hokkaido’s famous catch can be found fresh. While the area’s two most-famous seafood items, salmon roe and sea urchin, are pretty tough to incorporate into ramen, scallops and shrimp work perfectly. And we’ll use homemade shrimp oil to add even more depth to this Hokkaido-inspired bowl. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly Vegetable oil, for frying 12 to 16 large scallops ½ cup Shio Tare 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen

4 tablespoons shrimp oil 4 Salted Eggs, halved Negi 1. Heat a bit of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Lightly sauté the scallops on both sides until just cooked through. Set aside. 2. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 3. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 4. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 5. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 6. Put 1 tablespoon of shrimp oil in each ramen bowl. 7. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 8. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 9. Place 3 or 4 scallops, a salted egg, and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. DID YOU KNOW? In Japan, this ramen would include the orange gonads of the scallop as well as the abductor muscle, which is the part we eat in the West. The orange parts taste like a cross between liver and caviar. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. You could also use a clear

seafood broth. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Tori (Chicken) Chashu Shio Ramen Most ramen shops have an option for tokusei, which means “special” in Japanese. A special bowl usually has extra meat—lots of it. Quite a few shops these days have excellent chicken chashu, and I always regret not getting more after I finish the one or two standard pieces. Make sure you really cover the bowl with thinly sliced chicken chashu on this one. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly ½ cup Shio Tare 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 16 to 32 thin slices Chicken Chashu 4 Salted Eggs, halved Negi

1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 4 to 8 slices of chashu in each bowl so that the meat almost completely covers the noodles. Then place a salted egg and a sprinkle of negi neatly on top. Serve immediately. COOKING TIP You can lightly grill the chicken chashu before using it on this bowl of ramen. This will give a distinct texture and a feeling of “doneness.” A lot of chicken in Japan is served barely seared and still almost raw inside, something most Westerners wouldn’t dream of. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Butter And Cheese Shio Ramen Although Hokkaido is best known for miso ramen, I once wandered into a small shop in Sapporo that served nothing but shio ramen. Dairy is a big thing in Hokkaido, and at the master’s suggestion I had my shio ramen with a big hunk of butter and some local cheese. The butter and cheese—something I’d never had with a simple shio ramen—melted right into the bowl. And though the whole thing was on the heavy side, it kept me warm in the Hokkaido snowstorm that had picked up while I was in the shop. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly ½ cup Shio Tare 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen

8 to 12 slices Pork Chashu 4 Salted Eggs, halved 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 8 tablespoons grated mild cheese 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 2 or 3 slices of chashu and a salted egg neatly on the ramen. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of cheese on top. Serve immediately. INGREDIENT TIP Use as much or as little butter and cheese as you want in this bowl. Some people prefer two to three times the melted butter in their ramen. For the cheese, choose something with a light, mild flavor, like mozzarella or Monterey Jack, or something bolder, like Camembert. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. You could try this one with a creamy chicken broth as well.

Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Shio Tantanmen Tantanmen is a spicy noodle dish with roots in China. The Chinese dish is known as dandanmien and is made up of noodles with a heavy amount of hot oil and some minced meat topping, with or without soup. The Japanese version is often much less spicy. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ½ cup Shio Tare ¼ cup Chile Oil ¼ cup Sesame Paste 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 1⅓ cups Niku Soboro Green Vegetable Topping 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The

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bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. Put the tare, chile oil, sesame paste, and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. Place the niku soboro and green-vegetable topping neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. VARIATION TIP If you can find Szechuan peppercorns, they add a nice touch to this dish. It is a very bitter spice, but authentic tantanmen always has a bit of it. Just crush it gently with the flat side of a knife and sprinkle just a little bit over your ramen.

FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style. Toppings: Chile oil

Shio Chanpon Chanpon is a unique kind of ramen that is popular in Nagasaki prefecture in the southern island of Kyushu. The noodles are cooked directly in the soup, right along with fresh vegetables, giving this ramen a strong taste reminiscent of a Japanese hot-pot stew. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Weeknight Kid-friendly 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cup chopped cabbage 1 cup chopped carrot 1 cup chopped onion 5 cups Vegetarian Clear Soup ½ cup Vegetarian Shio Tare

1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen Negi 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Heat the oil in a wok or a large, deep skillet over high heat. Stir-fry the cabbage, carrot, and onion for a few minutes, until they are just cooked. 4. Add the soup and tare to the wok and bring to a boil. 5. Add the noodles directly to the soup. Cook for 1 minute. 6. Pour the soup and noodles directly in each ramen bowl. 7. Top with some negi and serve immediately. COOKING TIP Take care not to cook the noodles for too long. Because they are cooked directly in the soup and will not be drained, they get soggy much faster. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium vegetable broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. For a vegetarian version, find a dashi made from konbu and mushrooms. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

TRADITIONAL SHOYU RAMEN

Chapter 6

SHOYU RAMEN Shoyu ramen is probably what most people imagine when they think of Japanese ramen. It’s clear soup, darkened with soy-sauce tare, topped with a couple pieces of pork chashu, a few bits of menma, and a sprinkling of scallion. Some of Japan’s most famous shops have been serving something this simple for half a century, with constant lines of customers circling the block. Some chefs call it “Japanese soul food” because of its comforting nature. Feeling under the weather? Mom is probably serving you a bowl of this.

Basic Shoyu Ramen If your soup is made well, a bowl of basic shoyu ramen is enough. In the past few decades, ramen has become more and more gourmet, much to the liking of the ever-growing world of foodies. But when I show photos of ramen to random old men (this happens quite often), they scoff at the modern stuff. It’s the simple bowl of shoyu ramen that they always say looks best. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ½ cup Shoyu Tare 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Pork Chashu 12 to 16 pieces Menma Negi 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The

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bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu, 3 or 4 pieces of menma, and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately.

FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Traditional Shoyu Ramen When you look at the roots of shoyu ramen in Japan, Tokyo stands out as the town that really brought it to the forefront. Although your average bowl of shoyu ramen is still a simple ordeal, traditional ramen calls for a few distinctly Japanese toppings. Nori seaweed, sometimes called laver, is typically bought in dried sheets. These are the same thin green sheets used for wrapping sushi. Just don’t buy the Korean style of nori, because it has been fried and salted—it’s a great snack, but it doesn’t work in ramen. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ½ cup Shoyu Tare 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Chicken Chashu 4 large pieces nori seaweed 4 slices naruto (Japanese fish cake)

4 Ajitama, halved 12 to 16 pieces Menma Negi 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu, 1 piece of nori, 1 slice of naruto, 1 egg, 3 or 4 pieces of menma, and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. (The sheet of nori should be placed so just the tip is in the soup, with the rest perching on the side of the bowl. The naruto fish cake should go right in the middle.) Serve immediately. INGREDIENT TIP Naruto can be found in many Asian grocery stores. It is a type of fishcake with a distinctive pink spiral in the middle—naruto means “whirlpool.” If you can’t find naruto, any fish cake will do, though the pink spiral adds a signature look to the bowl. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online.

Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style. Toppings: Naruto (Japanese fish cake)

Vegan Shoyu Ramen Very few shops in Japan serve vegetarian ramen, and of those only a handful serve vegan shoyu ramen. The underlying umami flavors that come from meat and fish are gone, so you’ll need to hit this bowl with some strong aromatic oils. Garlic and scallion will add the aroma and flavor necessary to make this one stand out. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Weeknight 6 teaspoons garlic oil (tip) 6 teaspoons Negi Oil ½ cup Vegetarian Shoyu Tare 5 cups Vegetarian Clear Soup 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 12 to 16 pieces Menma Green Vegetable Topping

Negi 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put 1½ teaspoons of garlic oil and 1½ teaspoons of negi oil in each ramen bowl. 4. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 5. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 6. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 7. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 8. Place 3 or 4 pieces of menma, some green vegetables, and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium vegetable broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. For a vegetarian version, find a dashi made from konbu and mushrooms. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Double-Soup Shoyu Ramen If you’ve been making and freezing more than one soup stock for your ramen, there is no reason you can’t combine your stocks in the same bowl. Some people like to pour the soups into the bowl very carefully so they aren’t mixed. The combination creates an interesting yin and yang effect in your bowl. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ½ cup Shoyu Tare 2⅔ cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 2⅔ cups Tonkotsu Creamy Soup 4 tablespoons shrimp oil 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Chicken Chashu 4 Ajitama, halved Negi

1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and clear soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. In a separate medium saucepan, bring the tonkotsu creamy soup to a simmer over low heat. 5. Put 1 tablespoon of shrimp oil in each ramen bowl. 6. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 7. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the clear soup into the ramen bowls. 8. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 9. Slowly pour the tonkotsu creamy soup down one side of each bowl. Try not to let it mix too much with the clear soup. 10. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu, 1 egg, and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. COOKING TIP You can mix both soups together from the start if you don’t have enough burners or pots to heat the two soups separately. FROM THE STORE Soup: For the clear soup, mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. For the creamy soup, mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup (or bone broth) and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Onion Shoyu Ramen This recipe is inspired by a little-known ramen style in Japan: Takeokastyle. It is made in the south of Chiba prefecture, on the Boso Peninsula. The soup is made with 50 percent more shoyu tare, and topped with extra chashu and a huge mound of chopped white onion. The flavors are all a bit intense, but as you eat, everything melts into one big tasty bowl. A little sweetness from the onions, a bit of fat from the chashu, and some extra salt from the tare—it’s countryside comfort food. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight 4 tablespoons garlic oil (here) ¾ cup Shoyu Tare 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles (⅓ pound per bowl), such as Chukasuimen 8 to 16 slices Chicken Chashu 4 Ajitama, halved 4 cups diced white onion

1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put 1 tablespoon of garlic oil in each ramen bowl. 4. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 5. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 6. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 7. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 8. Place 2 to 4 slices of chashu, 1 egg, and 1 cup of diced onion neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. VARIATION TIP In shops, this style of ramen is made with dried noodles as opposed to fresh. Any ramen noodle will work. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. The lighter the soup, the better. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Pork-Belly Chashumen This bowl is called chashumen, which literally means “roasted-pork noodles.” If you really love chashu, covering the entire bowl in sliced pork is not a problem. Be sure to place the chashu last, and cover every inch of the bowl with meat. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly ½ cup Shoyu Tare 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 4 Ajitama, halved Negi 16 to 32 slices Pork Chashu 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 1 egg and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Then place 4 to 8 slices of chashu on top; try to cover as much of the ramen with chashu as you can. Serve immediately. COOKING TIP This is a lot of meat, so slice the chashu as thin as you can. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Sukiyaki Beef Ramen Beef ramen soup is quite uncommon in Japan. It tends to be a bit sweet—not the best flavor for slurping. Add beef as a topping, though, and that’s a different story. Use very thin, very lean meat for this bowl. You should be able to eat everything with your chopsticks. So stay clear of a knife and fork for this beef dish. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Difficulty level Kid-friendly 4 cups water 1 cup mirin (sweet rice wine) 1 cup sake ¾ cup soy sauce ½ cup sugar 2 pounds thinly sliced lean beef, such as sirloin ½ cup Shoyu Tare 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles (⅓ pound per bowl), such as Chukasuimen

Negi 1. First, prepare the sukiyaki topping by combining the water, mirin, sake, soy sauce, and sugar in a large saucepan. Heat it over medium heat until the liquid starts to simmer. Add the sliced beef and cook for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the cooked sukiyaki beef in the liquid. 2. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 3. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 4. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 5. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 6. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 7. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 8. Place a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen, then spoon on the sukiyaki beef topping. A little of the sukiyaki liquid is okay, too, but the flavor is strong, so use sparingly. Serve immediately. DID YOU KNOW? Traditional sukiyaki is served as a kind of hot pot. Thinly sliced beef is simmered in a flavored liquid right at the table, along with vegetables, noodles, and tofu. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online.

Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Vegetarian Ankake Ramen You’ll usually find ankake dishes at Chinese restaurants. Ankake means “covered with a starchy sauce”; cornstarch thickens up soups and turns them into rich sauces. This recipe can be made with any clear soup, but it works particularly well with the vegetarian clear soup. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Weeknight Kid-friendly 5 cups Vegetarian Clear Soup 4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in ½ cup water ½ cup Vegetarian Shoyu Tare 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen

1⅓ cups Green Vegetable Topping 12 to 16 pieces Menma Negi 1. In a medium saucepan, combine the soup and cornstarch-water mixture. Mix well. Heat over low heat for 5 minutes to thicken the soup, stirring constantly. 2. Add the shoyu tare to the soup and bring to a simmer over low heat. 3. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 4. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 5. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 6. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 7. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 8. Place ⅓ cup of vegetables, 3 or 4 pieces of menma, and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. DID YOU KNOW? Ankake-style soups tend to hold heat much more than thin soups, so be careful when slurping this one. Eat fewer noodles per bite, and slurp with more energy. If you’ve ever burned the roof of your mouth on a slice of hot pizza, noodle burns are far worse. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium vegetable broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. For a vegetarian version,

find a dashi made from konbu and mushrooms. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

SEAFOOD MISO RAMEN

Chapter 7

MISO RAMEN Miso ramen was first eaten regularly in Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island. History reveals that the first bowls were quite simple, meant only to resemble the miso soup that people were familiar with eating at home. Salarymen who were away from their families in the harsh cold of the north were nostalgic for some comfort food, and miso ramen delivered. Over the years, miso ramen became much more than noodles in miso soup. Chefs began experimenting with the different kinds of miso available around Japan. Some of the best miso has quite a strong taste, so chefs also started experimenting with spices that would balance out the bowl’s pungency. Soon, Sapporo-style miso ramen was considered one of the four main styles of ramen in Japan.

Basic Miso Ramen A basic bowl of miso ramen requires little in the way of toppings. The salty, funky broth is the star here. Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans, salt, koji fungus, and sometimes rice or barley. It comes in white, yellow, red, and brown varieties, each with its own flavor. The different colors depend on the amount of time the miso is aged, how the soybeans are cooked (steamed or boiled), and whether rice or barley are used. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ¾ cup Basic Miso Tare 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Pork Chashu Negi 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. INGREDIENT TIP If miso is stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it can last well over a year. The flavor, though, may diminish slightly after a few months, so try not to stockpile too much of the stuff. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the mediumthick, curly style.

Traditional Miso Ramen Traditional miso ramen from Sapporo balances the fermented flavor of the miso with grated fresh ginger. The ginger also adds a warming flavor to the bowl, perfect for cold winters. Thick-cut chashu takes this hearty feeling even further. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight 1 cup bean sprouts ¾ cup Basic Miso Tare 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles (⅓ pound per bowl), such as Chukasuimen 4 to 8 thick slices Pork Chashu Negi Grated fresh ginger

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Blanch the bean sprouts in the boiling water for 20 seconds. Drain and set aside with the rest of the toppings. 2. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 3. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 4. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 5. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 6. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 7. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 8. Place ¼ cup of bean sprouts, 1 or 2 slices of chashu, a sprinkle of negi, and a sprinkle of ginger neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the medium-thick, curly style.

Wakame (Seaweed) Miso Ramen Wakame is one of the most common kinds of edible seaweed in Japan. It finds its way into salads, main dishes, and soups. It’s hard to find a bowl of miso soup that doesn’t have at least a small amount of wakame in it. It has a subtly sweet taste that won’t overpower whatever you mix it with. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Weeknight 1 cup dried wakame seaweed ¾ cup Light Miso Tare with Shiro Miso 5 cups Vegetarian Clear Soup 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen Negi

1. Soak the wakame in water for about 20 minutes. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat and blanch the wakame for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside with the rest of the toppings. 2. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 3. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 4. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 5. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 6. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 7. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 8. Place some wakame and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. INGREDIENT TIP Dried wakame is easy to find in Asian grocery stores and online, but it must be reconstituted first by being soaked in water. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium vegetable broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. For a vegetarian version, find a dashi made from konbu and mushrooms. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the medium-thick, curly style.

Butter Corn Potato Miso Ramen Besides miso ramen, Hokkaido is also famous for its dairy, corn, and potatoes. And luckily, we can incorporate all of these into a bowl of ramen. This dish is quite popular with children and teenagers in Japan, who love the buttery taste and the sweetness from the corn. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly ¾ cup Light Miso Tare with Shiro Miso 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Pork Chashu 1 pound potatoes, peeled, diced, and boiled 8 tablespoons sweet corn kernels (fresh, thawed frozen, or canned)

8 tablespoons unsalted butter Negi 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu, some diced potatoes, 2 tablespoons of corn, 2 tablespoons of butter, and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Keep the ingredients separate, so you can mix as you eat. Serve immediately. VARIATION TIP You can easily make this a vegetarian bowl by omitting the chashu and using a vegetarian soup. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the medium-thick, curly style.

Seafood Miso Ramen There is a well-known shop in Sapporo called Ajinokaryu, right at the beginning of Sapporo’s famous Ramen Yokocho, a street of about a dozen ramen shops all packed into one short block. I’m not sure if it’s the taste, the photos of famous celebrities that have eaten there, or just the position as the first shop, but they always have a line. Their most popular bowl is covered with crab, scallops, and whatever else is in season. You can make a similar bowl by either preparing your own seafood mix from scratch or finding a good one at your local grocery store. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ¾ cup Strong Miso Tare with Aka Miso 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 1 pound mixed seafood (scallop, shrimp, crab, squid, etc.), cooked and sliced Negi

1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place the seafood and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. The amount of seafood you use is up to you. Serve immediately. DID YOU KNOW? Anywhere you go along the coast of Hokkaido, you’ll see seafood. Both small and large fishing towns on this northern island bring in much of Japan’s ocean bounty. This abundance makes its way into the country’s cuisine, especially the ramen. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the medium-thick, curly style.

Smoked-Salmon Miso Ramen Smoked salmon goes quite well with a lighter miso flavor, so reach for your light miso tare for this recipe. Smoked salmon is not common in traditional Japanese cuisine, but it’s served in small plates all the time, and I’ve occasionally seen it atop ramen, too. You can, of course, use as much smoked salmon as you like, but 1 to 2 ounces per bowl tends to be enough. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ¾ cup Light Miso Tare with Shiro Miso 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 4 to 8 ounces smoked salmon, cut into bite-size strips Negi 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The

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bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. Place some salmon and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. VARIATION TIP You could add a small amount of sour cream and capers to this bowl to pair with the smoked salmon. It’s a Western take on this dish, but why not?

FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the medium-thick, curly style.

Spicy Miso Ramen One of the most popular ways to serve miso ramen is by blending it with hot spices. The creaminess of the miso nicely balances out the spice. Outside of Japan, some ramen shops have created spicy-ramen challenges, often using a fiery miso blend. Keep yours tolerable, so you can taste all the flavors. And of course, adjust the amount of chile oil and pepper to your taste. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight 1 cup bean sprouts 1⅓ cups chopped cabbage 4 tablespoons Chile Oil ¾ cup Strong Miso Tare with Aka Miso ¼ cup Sesame Paste 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 1 cup Niku Soboro Negi

Chile pepper flakes 1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Blanch the bean sprouts in the boiling water for 20 seconds. Remove the bean sprouts with a slotted spoon or tongs and set aside with the rest of the toppings. 2. Return the same pan of water to a boil. Blanch the cabbage in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and set aside with the other toppings. 3. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 4. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 5. Put 1 tablespoon of chile oil in each ramen bowl. 6. Put the tare, sesame paste, and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 7. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 8. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 9. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 10. Place some bean sprouts, some cabbage, ¼ cup of niku soboro, and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Sprinkle a bit of chile pepper flakes on top. Serve immediately. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online.

Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the medium-thick, curly style. Toppings: Sesame paste (tahini), chile oil

Karashibi Spicy Miso Ramen Kikanbo, a famous ramen shop in Tokyo, blends two kinds of spices together for their spicy miso ramen. Kara is a variation of karai, a Japanese word meaning “spicy.” And Shibi comes from shibireru, a word that means “numbing.” The numbing comes from sansho, a kind of Szechuan peppercorn. It is a very bitter spice that lingers on the tongue. Within moments, it has an almost numbing effect. Suffice to say, be careful with this stuff! You can find sansho at Asian grocery stores and online. It comes in whole peppercorns, and can be ground in a pepper mill or spice grinder. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight 1 cup bean sprouts 1 cup chopped cabbage 4 tablespoons Chile Oil ¾ cup Basic Miso Tare ¼ cup ground sansho (Szechuan peppercorn), plus 4 teaspoons

for topping 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 1 cup Niku Soboro Negi 1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Blanch the bean sprouts in the boiling water for 20 seconds. Remove the bean sprouts with a slotted spoon or tongs and set aside with the rest of the toppings. 2. Return the same pan of water to a boil. Blanch the cabbage in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and set aside with the other toppings. 3. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 4. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 5. Put 1 tablespoon of chile oil in each ramen bowl. 6. Put the miso tare, sansho pepper, and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 7. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 8. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 9. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 10. Place ¼ cup each of niku soboro, bean sprouts, and cabbage plus a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Top each bowl with 1 teaspoon of ground sansho. Serve immediately.

INGREDIENT TIP Sansho affects the taste buds in a strange way: Water will taste slightly metallic after eating a bit of the stuff. With this in mind, don’t serve anything with delicate flavors after eating too much sansho. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the medium-thick, curly style. Toppings: Chile oil

Yakimiso (Stir-Fry Miso) Ramen Kururi, one of the most famous miso ramen shops in Tokyo, one day suddenly shut its doors. No one really knew why, as they had a constant hour-long line every day of the year. Some people said the master was just tired of making ramen. Though no one knows his secret recipe, one technique he used was to stir-fry the soup in a wok before serving. This concentrates the flavors and makes the ramen extra hot (in temperature, not spiciness). Recreate this crowd-drawing technique at home with this unique recipe. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly 1 cup bean sprouts Vegetable oil, for frying Salt

Freshly ground black pepper ¾ cup Basic Miso Tare 5 cups any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Pork Chashu Negi 1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Blanch the bean sprouts in the boiling water for 20 seconds. Drain. 2. In a wok, heat a bit of vegetable oil over high heat. Stir-fry the bean sprouts with a little salt and pepper. 3. Add the miso tare and soup to the wok. Continue to cook over high heat for a few minutes. 4. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the noodles. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup and bean sprouts into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. COOKING TIP Be sure to serve this one quickly; the hot soup will continue to cook the noodles as soon as you put them in the bowl. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium chicken broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online.

Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the medium-thick, curly style.

TRADITIONAL TONKOTSU RAMEN

Chapter 8

TONKOTSU RAMEN When a shop in Kyushu, an island in the south of Japan, accidentally left a pot of pork bones on the fire for too long, they ended up with a thick, creamy soup. This must have been quite an oversight, as it takes a lot of heat and a lot of time to extract the collagen from pork bones. Regardless of the circumstances, tonkotsu ramen was born. The signature of tonkotsu ramen is the creamy soup. Some chefs try to keep the soup as white and smooth as possible, while others go for a rougher, heartier approach. Some chefs go to great lengths to avoid the inevitable bad smell that arises from cooking pork bones, constantly skimming the soup, meticulously cleaning fresh bones of anything that might cause an unpleasant odor, installing powerful exhaust systems in their restaurants for venting the steam a block away. Other chefs just let the smell happen—something that is like either a very ripe cheese or a stinky sock, depending on who you ask. One of the most famous tonkotsu ramen shops in Tokyo could be smelled for over three blocks away, and was so popular that it caused traffic jams for months after opening. Tonkotsu ramen tends to use thinner noodles than shio, shoyu, and miso ramen—thicker soup, thinner noodles. In a store, these noodles are often called tonkotsu noodles, Hakata-style noodles, or simply thin ramen noodles. And regardless of whether you buy or make them, just be sure to have an extra serving ready to go. A common custom in Kyushu is to offer kaedama, an extra serving of noodles. Cook the extra

portion as soon as you finish the first serving, and then dump it into the remaining soup. Many Kyushu natives will tell you that a bowl of tonkotsu ramen without the kaedama isn’t real tonkotsu ramen. When it comes to tonkotsu ramen, store-bought stock is a bit of an issue. While clear chicken stock is something many supermarkets carry, creamy pork broth is largely unavailable. You could, however, experiment with other kinds of creamy soup stocks. Cream of chicken, cream of potato, even a creamy mushroom or tomato soup can yield interesting results. But know that these substitutions will give you a ramen very different from any recipe in this book. Bone broth is becoming quite the rage, though, and you can find packaged bone broths in health-food stores, some supermarkets, online, and in shops selling hot soups. Aerate the bone broth in the blender, and you will have something a bit closer in color and texture to a Japanese creamy soup.

Basic Tonkotsu Ramen The ramen street carts of Hakata, an area on the southern island of Kyushu that’s mega-famous for tonkotsu ramen, serve sparse bowls at rock-bottom prices. While fancier brick-and-mortar shops tend to add more and more decorative toppings, these simple bowls are what Hakata is famous for. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly ½ cup Shio Tare 5 cups Tonkotsu Creamy Soup 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as thin Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Pork Chashu Negi 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. DID YOU KNOW? Tonkotsu ramen can be seasoned with either shio or shoyu tare. Salt-based shio tare will give the soup a lighter color, something that helps with the visual appeal of this kind of bowl. Taste-wise, too, for this basic bowl, a simple shio tare is the way to go. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix three-quarters part unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup (or bone broth) with one-quarter part dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin tonkotsu style.

Traditional Tonkotsu Ramen As tonkotsu ramen became a staple cuisine, it developed a distinct look. Part of that is from the toppings. The white soup contrasts with the dark-brown wood ear mushrooms and vivid-green scallions. Optional pickled ginger adds a red flare. These colorful additions make traditional tonkotsu ramen one of the most recognizable styles in Japan. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ½ cup Shio Tare 5 cups Tonkotsu Creamy Soup 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as thin Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Pork Chashu Kikurage Negi White sesame seeds

Benishoga (red pickled ginger) Takana (spicy mustard greens) 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu and a sprinkle each of kikurage and negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately with sesame seeds, benishoga, and takana on the side as condiments. INGREDIENT TIP Most ramen shops leave the pickled ginger (julienne style, not sliced thin like at sushi restaurants) and sesame seeds (often in a hand-crank sesame-seed grinder) on the counter as optional condiments. Another common condiment is takana: spicy mustard greens. Takana can be found at some Asian markets or online. Be careful with these, as even a small spoonful is deceptively spicy. One famous shop in Hakata, Genki Ippai, even forbids first-time customers from using them until they’ve eaten half of their bowl of ramen. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix three-quarters part unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup (or bone broth) with one-quarter part dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin tonkotsu style.

Toppings: Benishoga (red pickled ginger), takana (spicy mustard greens)

Shoyu Tonkotsu Ramen While shio tare will preserve the natural white color of a good tonkotsu broth, sometimes the stronger flavors from a shoyu tare are desired. Some parts of Japan even pride themselves on serving tonkotsu ramen flavored with locally made shoyu, such as Wakayama near Osaka and Asahikawa in Hokkaido. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ½ cup Shoyu Tare 5 cups Tonkotsu Creamy Soup 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as thin Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Pork Chashu Kikurage Negi 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the

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touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu and a sprinkle each of kikurage and negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately.

FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix three-quarters part unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup (or bone broth) with one-quarter part dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin tonkotsu style.

Negi-Baka Tonkotsu Ramen There was a tonkotsu ramen shop in Tokyo called Nandenkanden that was so popular it caused daily traffic jams. People lined up for hours just to sample their creamy soup. One of their most popular items was negi-baka, which translates (roughly) to “a stupid amount of scallion.” Sure enough, the bowl was completely covered by fresh negi, and every slurp of noodles would be a mix of white soup and green onion. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly ½ cup Shoyu Tare 5 cups Tonkotsu Creamy Soup 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as thin Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Pork Chashu 4 cups chopped Negi

1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu and 1 cup of negi neatly on the ramen. The scallions should cover the entire bowl. Serve immediately. INGREDIENT TIP Use only the green parts of your scallions for this dish. Negibaka is as much about the presentation as it is about the flavor. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix three-quarters part unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup (or bone broth) with one-quarter part dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin tonkotsu style.

Mayu Tonkotsu Ramen In Kumamoto prefecture, an area in the south of Japan on Kyushu island, they make their tonkotsu ramen a little differently. Garlic plays a huge role, with a healthy dollop of instantly recognizable blackenedgarlic paste. This recipe also uses dried garlic. Look for dried or dehydrated garlic chips or flakes; they’re sold in many supermarkets and specialty food stores, and online. The garlic never overpowers; just enough to balance the creamy pork soup and salty soy-sauce tare with a spicy, pungent kick. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ½ cup Shoyu Tare 5 cups Tonkotsu Creamy Soup 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as thin Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Pork Chashu 4 tablespoons garlic chips Negi 4 tablespoons Mayu

1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu, 1 tablespoon of garlic chips, and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of mayu over each bowl. Serve immediately. DID YOU KNOW? Shops in Kumamoto often serve their ramen with different styles of garlic condiments. One shop pickles sliced garlic in their shoyu tare. Another shop serves powdered garlic to sprinkle on top. Many shops have garlic presses and raw cloves available on the countertop. Feel free to experiment with any kind of garlic creation you come up with. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix three-quarters part unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup (or bone broth) with one-quarter part dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin tonkotsu style.

Ebi (Shrimp) Tonkotsu Ramen The thick nature of tonkotsu ramen lends itself well to bold flavors. This dish uses tomato and shrimp to thicken the already-thick soup. Tomato lends this ramen another level of umami, and the shrimp gives a great aftertaste. In Tokyo, there was a short-lived shrimp-ramen boom around 2013. When most shops stopped serving it, the ones that remained were those with a thick tonkotsu broth and deep shrimp flavors. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ¼ cup dried shrimp or dried shrimp powder 4 tablespoons Ebi Abura ½ cup Shio Tare 1 pound tomatoes, diced 5 cups Tonkotsu Creamy Soup 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as thin Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Chicken Chashu

Negi 1. If the dried shrimp are whole, use a blender or spice grinder to grind them into a fine powder. Set aside. 2. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 3. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 4. Put 1 tablespoon of shrimp oil in each ramen bowl. 5. Put the tare, the shrimp powder, half of the tomatoes, and the soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 6. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 7. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 8. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 9. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu, some of the remaining tomatoes, and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. INGREDIENT TIP You can use either fresh or canned tomatoes for this recipe. If you go for canned, mix all of the diced tomatoes in with the soup and forgo the tomato topping. A garnish of basil or even a little pesto sauce is a nice touch. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix three-quarters part unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup (or bone broth) with one-quarter part dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin tonkotsu style.

Karamiso (Spicy Miso) Tonkotsu Ramen Yamagata prefecture is one of Japan’s least famous prefectures when it comes to ramen—save for this one style. Tonkotsu ramen is served with a flavorful mix of miso and spices. Karamiso is a spicy miso condiment used to liven up many Japanese dishes. Be sure to serve extra on the side, and warn people to be careful. Many bowls of karamiso ramen have been ruined by overdoing the spice mixture. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Difficulty level FOR THE KARAMISO 1¾ cups doubanjiang (Chinese hot bean paste) ½ cup grated fresh ginger ½ cup minced garlic ½ cup sake ½ cup soy sauce ¼ cup sugar FOR THE RAMEN ½ cup Shio Tare

5 cups Tonkotsu Creamy Soup 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Takasuimen 4 to 8 slices Pork Chashu Negi TO MAKE THE KARAMISO 1. Combine all the karamiso ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir-fry over high heat until the mixture is almost dry. Stir constantly so it does not burn. 2. Store the karamiso in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. TO MAKE THE RAMEN 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put the tare, soup, and ¾ cup of the karamiso in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 4. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 5. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 6. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 7. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately, with extra karamiso on the side. INGREDIENT TIP Doubanjiang may be called chile-bean sauce, hot bean sauce/paste, spicy

broad-bean paste, or spicy bean sauce/paste. It’s made from fermented broad beans, soybeans, salt, rice, chiles, and spices. You can find it in jars in Asian grocery stores or online. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix three-quarters part unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup (or bone broth) with one-quarter part dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, normal thickness, such as those meant for miso ramen.

Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen Some tonkotsu ramen shops like to offer their standard bowl with a bit of spice. The creamy nature of this tonkotsu ramen nicely balances out the hot spice of the chile oil. The initial hit is a complex mix of salty and spicy, with a smooth aftertaste that mellows out the chile kick. Everyone’s spice tolerance is different, so serve the chile oil on the side. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight 4 tablespoons Chile Oil ½ cup Shio Tare 5 cups Tonkotsu Creamy Soup 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as thin Chukasuimen 4 to 8 slices Pork Chashu Negi 1. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 3. Put 1 tablespoon of chile oil in each bowl. 4. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 5. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 6. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 7. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 8. Place 1 or 2 slices of chashu and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix three-quarters part unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup (or bone broth) with one-quarter part dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin tonkotsu style.

Moyashi (Bean Sprout) And Chashu Tonkotsu Ramen Bowls of tonkotsu ramen rarely see much in the way of vegetable toppings. The reason is a mystery, but it might have to do with the fact that most tonkotsu ramen is eaten late at night, often after a bout of heavy drinking. One style, though, generously piles on bean sprouts and cabbage, giving some much-needed vitamins and nutrients to a fat- and carb-heavy bowl. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Difficulty level Kid-friendly 1 pound bean sprouts 1 cup chopped cabbage ½ cup Shoyu Tare 5 cups Tonkotsu Creamy Soup 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Takasuimen 4 to 8 thick slices Pork Chashu

Negi 1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Blanch the bean sprouts in the boiling water for 20 seconds. Remove the bean sprouts with a slotted spoon or tongs and set aside with the rest of the toppings. 2. Return the same pan of water to a boil. Blanch the cabbage in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and set aside with the other toppings. 3. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. 4. Heat your ramen bowls by filling them halfway with hot water. The bowls don’t need to be scalding, but they should be hot to the touch. Dump out the hot water and dry the bowls with some paper towels or a clean towel. 5. Put the tare and soup in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. 6. Cook the noodles in the large pot of boiling water. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 7. About 30 seconds before the noodles are finished cooking, ladle the soup into the ramen bowls. 8. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each bowl of soup, keeping them tidy. 9. Place some bean sprouts, some cabbage, 1 or 2 slices of chashu, and a sprinkle of negi neatly on the ramen. Serve immediately. VARIATION TIP Some people like this kind of ramen with a mashi (large) serving of vegetables. Feel free to double or triple the cabbage and bean sprouts, building a a mini mountain of veggies on the top. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix three-quarters part unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup (or bone broth) with onequarter part dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian

foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, either the normal thickness or thick style.

ABURASOBA

Chapter 9

OTHER RAMEN Ramen can be so much more than just shio, shoyu, miso, or tonkotsu. As long as there is a balance among the noodles, soup, and toppings, it doesn’t really matter what goes into a bowl. With global interest in ramen growing, fans of the dish have learned more about different styles—and adapted them to their own tastes. Vegetarians have bided their time, and now shops, especially those outside of Japan, have been making vegetarian, and even vegan, options. Travelers to Japan in the hot summer months have discovered hiyashi chuka, a cold ramen that attracts annual pilgrimages seeking the best of the best. Festivals have made yakisoba, a fried-noodle dish, one of Japan’s most popular street foods. Soupless ramen and tsukemen—thick noodles dipped into a strong soup—have brought thicker, heartier noodles to the forefront. Regardless of what goes into a bowl, if the noodles themselves resemble their Chinese ancestors, ramen has no limits.

Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Chinese-Style Noodles) Hiyashi chuka literally means “cold Chinese.” This is a popular noodle dish in the summer in Japan. This is the standard recipe, but chefs in Japan are known to be very creative with this dish: From pickled kimchi to abalone, no topping is unexpected. Cold ramen almost resembles a salad—and any sort of meat, vegetable, or spice you can imagine throwing in a salad could work in a bowl of hiyashi chuka. The ramen is usually served in a glass bowl, with the toppings arranged very neatly on top. One of the most artistic ramen dishes around. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Kid-friendly 8 large eggs Vegetable oil, for frying 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 5 cups Light Vegetarian Soup, chilled 4 cups sliced ham (about 20 ounces) 8 Japanese or Persian cucumbers, sliced

4 tomatoes, cut into wedges 1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until well combined. 2. Coat the bottom of a large skillet lightly with oil and heat over medium heat. Pour in the eggs to make one large, thin omelet. When the eggs are firm, transfer to a cutting board. Cut the omelet into thin strips and set aside to be used as a topping. 3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the noodles. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 4. Strain the noodles and run under cool water until the noodles are at room temperature. 5. Carefully place the noodles in your ramen bowls, keeping them tidy. Pour the cold soup over the noodles. 6. Top with the egg strips, ham and cucumber slices, and tomato wedges. COOKING TIP The easiest way to slice the omelet is to first roll it up like a jelly roll, then cut it in thin slices. Unroll the slices by just moving them around with the tip of your knife. If your ham is in thin slices, like deli ham, you can cut it the same way. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium vegetable broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. For a vegetarian version, find a dashi made from konbu and mushrooms. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Vegan Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Chinese Noodles) Cold Chinese-style noodles are a refreshing way to eat ramen in the hot summer months. This vegan version resembles a cold-noodle salad, and should be served with plenty of fresh vegetables. Be liberal with the toppings on any sort of cold ramen bowl; they certainly are in Japan. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Weeknight Kid-friendly 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 5 cups Light Vegetarian Soup, chilled 4 cups chopped cooked leafy green vegetables, chilled

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the noodles. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 2. Strain the noodles and run under cool water until the noodles are at room temperature. 3. Carefully place the noodles in your ramen bowls, keeping them tidy. Pour the cold soup over the noodles. 4. Top with the vegetables. Serve immediately. VARIATION TIP Try this one with fried vegetables or veggie chips. The contrast of textures between the cold noodles and crisp vegetables really hits the spot! FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium vegetable broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. For a vegetarian version, find a dashi made from konbu and mushrooms. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Tomato Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Chinese-Style Noodles) Spicy kimchi and cooling tomato create a nice contrast in this hotweather dish. Kimchi, though it is a Korean food, has found its way into ramen. Many shops offer it as an optional topping, and most people opt for it during the hot summer months, when the cold kimchi with its spicy bite makes the intense summer heat a bit more bearable. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Weeknight 4 tomatoes, diced 4 cups kimchi 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 5 cups Light Vegetarian Soup, chilled Negi

Freshly ground black pepper 1. In a large mixing bowl, toss the tomatoes and kimchi to mix well. Set aside in the refrigerator to chill. 2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the noodles. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 3. Strain the noodles and run under cool water until the noodles are at room temperature. 4. Carefully place the noodles in your ramen bowls, keeping them tidy. Pour the cold soup over the noodles. 5. Top with the kimchi-tomato mix and sprinkle with the negi and some black pepper. INGREDIENT TIP Many kinds of kimchi contain fish or shrimp, so read the label carefully if you are making this dish for a vegetarian. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium vegetable broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. For a vegetarian version, find a dashi made from konbu and mushrooms. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Morioka-Style Cold Ramen Morioka, a few hours north of Tokyo by bullet train, has its own version of cold ramen. It is often served at yakiniku restaurants, which serve Korean-style barbecued meat. A bowl of cold ramen is the way to end a meal. Traditionally, cold ramen from Morioka is served with a piece of chilled fruit in the bowl. Apple, peach, or watermelon are all good choices. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight 5 cups Light Vegetarian Soup ½ cup Shoyu Tare 12 ice cubes 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 8 slices Chicken Chashu 12 to 20 pieces Menma Negi 4 sheets yakinori (roasted nori)

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the soup, tare, and ice cubes. Leave the soup in the refrigerator while you prepare the noodles. 2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the noodles. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 3. Strain the noodles and run under cool water until the noodles are at room temperature. 4. Carefully place the noodles in your ramen bowls, keeping them tidy. Pour the cold soup over the noodles. 5. Top with 2 slices of chashu, 3 to 5 pieces of menma, a sprinkle of negi, and a sheet of nori. Serve immediately. INGREDIENT TIP Nori is made by shredding seaweed and pressing it into thin sheets that are toasted to dry them out. You can find nori at any Asian grocery or health-food store, and more supermarkets are starting to carry it. It will keep for months in your pantry. Look for the plain variety. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix equal parts unseasoned low-sodium vegetable broth and dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. For a vegetarian version, find a dashi made from konbu and mushrooms. Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thin, straight style.

Tsukemen (Dipping Noodles) Tsukemen is a kind of ramen dish in which the noodles are served separately from the soup. The noodles are cool, and the thick soup is hot. By cooling down the noodles after cooking them, you stop the cooking process and can safely serve a large portion without worrying about the noodles becoming soggy sitting in the hot soup. Half a pound of noodles is a fairly standard serving for this style, but some shops serve well over a pound of noodles to hungry students, salarymen, and competitive eaters. Makes 4 bowls of tsukemen Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly 2 pounds fresh noodles, such as Takasuimen 6 cups Tonkotsu Creamy Soup ½ cup Shoyu Tare 8 to 16 slices Pork Chashu

4 Ajitama, halved 16 to 20 pieces Menma Negi 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the noodles. Tsukemen is better with thick noodles, and noodles that are around 4 mm thick will cook in around 8 minutes. 2. Strain the noodles and run under cool water until the noodles are at room temperature. 3. Put the soup and tare in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. Ladle it into small soup bowls. 4. Serve the noodles on large plates, topped with 2 to 4 slices of chashu, 1 egg, 4 or 5 pieces of menma, and a sprinkle of negi. DID YOU KNOW? Tsukemen is eaten in a way that many people outside of Japan haven’t experienced. Grab a few noodles with your chopsticks, dip them in the soup, and slurp from there. Debate rages on about how far to dip the noodles into the soup; some people dip only halfway, while others go for a massive dunk. Either way, take care slurping the thick noodles—they tend to splatter a bit more than normal ramen. (Bonus tip: Don’t wear a white shirt when eating ramen!) FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix three-quarters part unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup (or bone broth) with one-quarter part dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 5 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thick, straight style.

Vegan Avocado Tsukemen (Dipping Noodles) Avocado and soy milk come together to make a thick, rich bowl of vegan ramen. Avocado is an uncommon ingredient in ramen, in part due to its high cost in Japan. So take advantage of your affordable avocado situation, and whip up a batch of this healthy tsukemen. The underlying soup, made with mushrooms, has the meaty, umami-rich flavor that many vegan broths lack. Makes 4 bowls of tsukemen Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Difficulty level Vegan 4 avocados 3 cups Vegetarian Clear Soup, at room temperature 3 cups soy milk ½ cup Vegetarian Shoyu Tare 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Takasuimen Wasabi (optional)

1. Peel and pit the avocados. Cut 1 avocado into slices to use as a garnish and set aside. Roughly chop the rest and put in a blender. 2. Add the soup, soy milk, and tare to the blender. Blend until fully blended. 3. Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until hot. 4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the noodles. Tsukemen is better with thick noodles, and noodles that are around 4 mm thick will cook in around 8 minutes. 5. Strain the noodles and run under cool water until the noodles are at room temperature. 6. Serve the noodles on flat plates, topped with 2 or 3 slices of fresh avocado and a bit of wasabi, if using. 7. Serve the soup separately in small bowls. VARIATION TIP This recipe can be served hot in the winter and cold in the summer. If you’re serving it cold, skip step 3 and chill the soup in the refrigerator instead. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix three-quarters part unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup with onequarter part dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. For a vegetarian version, find a dashi made from konbu and mushrooms. Noodles: Use 5 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thick, straight style.

Shrimp-Flavored Tsukemen (Dipping Noodles) A little shrimp goes a long way, and dipping-style tsukemen thickened with shrimp powder is a popular style of ramen. This dish is all about bold flavors, so go with a heavy tonkotsu creamy soup and a strong shoyu tare. Thick-cut pork chashu and a heavily seasoned ajitama egg round out this intense bowl. Makes 4 bowls of tsukemen Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ½ cup dried shrimp or dried shrimp powder 2 pounds fresh noodles, such as Takasuimen 6 cups Tonkotsu Creamy Soup ½ cup Shoyu Tare 8 to 16 slices Pork Chashu 4 Ajitama, halved 16 to 20 pieces Menma

Negi 4 tablespoons Ebi Abura 1. If the dried shrimp are whole, use a blender or spice grinder to grind them into a fine powder. Set aside. 2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the noodles. Tsukemen is better with thick noodles, and noodles that are around 4 mm thick will cook in around 8 minutes. 3. Strain the noodles and run under cool water until the noodles are at room temperature. 4. Put the soup, tare, and shrimp powder in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. Ladle the soup into small soup bowls. 5. Serve the noodles on large plates, topped with 2 to 4 slices of chashu, 1 egg, 4 or 5 pieces of menma, and a sprinkle of negi. 6. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of shrimp oil over each bowl of soup. VARIATION TIP For even more shrimp flavor, add boiled shrimp on top of the noodles or with the soup. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix three-quarters part unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup (or bone broth) with one-quarter part dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 5 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thick, straight style.

Kotteri Tsukemen (Dipping Noodles With Thick Soup) Dried fish powder does double duty when used as an ingredient in tsukemen. First, it thickens the soup, turning it into a gravy-like sauce. And second, it adds a massive amount of flavor. Fish powder made from dried anchovies has a smoky, bitter taste—the driving force of this style of ramen. Makes 4 bowls of tsukemen Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Difficulty level 2 pounds fresh noodles, such as Takasuimen 6 cups Thick Vegetarian Creamy Soup ½ cup Shoyu Tare ½ cup niboshi (dried fish) powder 8 to 16 slices Pork Chashu 4 Ajitama, halved 16 to 20 pieces Menma Negi 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook

the noodles. Tsukemen is better with thick noodles, and noodles that are around 4 mm thick will cook in around 8 minutes. 2. Strain the noodles and run under cool water until the noodles are at room temperature. 3. Put the soup, tare, and fish powder in a medium saucepan. Mix and bring to a simmer over low heat. Ladle the hot soup into small bowls. 4. Serve the noodles on large plates, topped with 4 to 6 slices of chashu, 1 egg, 4 or 5 pieces of menma, and a sprinkle of negi. INGREDIENT TIP Dried anchovies are called niboshi in Japanese, so look for niboshi powder at an Asian market or online. You can make your own by crushing whole niboshi in a spice grinder. FROM THE STORE Soup: Mix three-quarters part unseasoned low-sodium creamy soup (or bone broth) with one-quarter part dashi broth. Japanese dashi powder to make broth can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores or online. Noodles: Use 5 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thick, straight style.

Yakisoba (Fried Noodles) Go to any festival in Japan and you’ll find roadside carts cooking up one of the country’s most popular street foods—yakisoba. Some people are confused by the name, but these noodles have no connection to the popular buckwheat noodles that are also called soba. Instead, Chinese-style ramen noodles are used. Makes 4 servings Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegetable oil, for frying 1⅓ pounds cooked noodles, such as Chukasuimen 1⅓ cups diced Pork Chashu 1⅓ cups chopped cabbage Salt Freshly ground black pepper 1⅓ cups bean sprouts ½ cup soy sauce Benishoga (red pickled ginger) Aonori (dried green nori) Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) 1. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add a little oil and loosen and fry

2. 3. 4.

5. 6.

the noodles with just enough oil to keep them from sticking. When the noodles are slightly browned, about 3 minutes, remove from the wok and set aside. Add a little more oil to the wok and stir-fry the chashu for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cabbage with a little salt and pepper. Cook until the cabbage starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the noodles and bean sprouts, and toss to mix. Pour the soy sauce evenly over the yakisoba. Stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes. Serve topped with pickled ginger, nori, and bonito flakes. INGREDIENT TIP The red pickled ginger, nori, and bonito flakes are always served with yakisoba. Some people like to add mayonnaise as well. If you can find Japanese mayonnaise, buy it. Japanese mayo is thicker and more suited to be used as a dressing for noodles. FROM THE STORE Noodles: Precooked packs of noodles made for yakisoba are labeled “mushi chukamen.” If you want dry noodles, use 3 ounces per serving of something like dried ramen noodles, preferably the thin, straight style.

Sauce Yakisoba (Fried Noodles) The sauce used in this dish is sometimes called Japanese Worcestershire-style sauce, though it is a bit thicker and sweeter that the British style. Japanese brown sauce is very sweet, and this dish is best served with beer or another Japanese spirit, such as sake or shochu (a distilled liquor made from sweet potato, barley, or rice that is stronger than sake). Makes 4 servings Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegetable oil, for frying 1⅓ pounds cooked noodles, such as Chukasuimen 1⅓ cups diced Pork Chashu 1⅓ cups chopped cabbage Salt Freshly ground black pepper 1⅓ cups bean sprouts ¼ cup Japanese brown sauce Benishoga (red pickled ginger) Aonori (dried green nori)

Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) 1. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add a little oil and loosen and fry the noodles with just enough oil to keep them from sticking. 2. When the noodles are slightly browned, about 3 minutes, remove from the wok and set aside. 3. Add a little more oil to the wok and stir-fry the chashu for 1 to 2 minutes. 4. Add the cabbage with a little salt and pepper. Cook until the cabbage starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the noodles and bean sprouts, and toss to mix. 5. Pour the sauce evenly over the yakisoba. Stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes. 6. Serve topped with pickled ginger, nori, and bonito flakes. INGREDIENT TIP Japanese brown sauce is often marketed as tonkotsu sauce, yakisoba sauce, or okonomiyaki sauce. You can substitute Chinese oyster sauce if the Japanese stuff is hard to come by. FROM THE STORE Noodles: Precooked packs of noodles made for yakisoba are labeled “mushi chukamen.” If you want dry noodles, use 3 ounces per serving of something like dried ramen noodles, preferably the thin, straight style.

Curry Yakisoba (Fried Noodles) Over the years, yakisoba makers have explored different ways of serving the popular street food. Different sauces and flavorings are an obvious choice. Curry yakisoba has become one of the favorite ways of eating this dish. Curry in Japan has a long and interesting history—one that could fill an entire book. Introduced early on by seafaring travelers, it was considered a British, Western food. The Japanese Navy loved the stuff, and even to this day, Fridays are considered curry day. Most Japanese curry is very mild. Makes 4 servings Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegetable oil, for frying 1⅓ pounds cooked noodles, such as Chukasuimen 1⅓ cups diced Pork Chashu 1⅓ cups chopped cabbage Salt Freshly ground black pepper 1⅓ cups bean sprouts ¼ cup soy sauce

4 teaspoons curry powder Benishoga (red pickled ginger) Aonori (dried green nori) Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) 1. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add a little oil and loosen and fry the noodles with just enough oil to keep them from sticking. 2. When the noodles are slightly browned, about 3 minutes, remove from the wok and set aside. 3. Add a little more oil to the wok and stir-fry the chashu for 1 to 2 minutes. 4. Add the cabbage with a little salt and pepper. Cook until the cabbage starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the noodles and bean sprouts, and toss to mix. 5. Pour the soy sauce evenly over the yakisoba. Mix well. Sprinkle the curry powder over the yakisoba and mix again. Stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes. 6. Serve topped with pickled ginger, nori, and bonito flakes. INGREDIENT TIP Try to find a Japanese curry powder. It tends to be a bit milder than anything from India or Thailand. FROM THE STORE Noodles: Precooked packs of noodles made for yakisoba are labeled “mushi chukamen.” If you want dry noodles, use 3 ounces per serving of something like dried ramen noodles, preferably the thin, straight style.

Mazesoba (Soupless Noodles) Maze means “mix,” and mazesoba is literally “mixed-up noodles.” This dish has become very popular, especially in Tokyo and Saitama prefecture to the north. The point is to vigorously mix the noodles, sauce, and toppings with your chopsticks. It starts out beautiful and ends up looking like a mess. But the mixing activates the gluten in the noodles, which makes them all the more tasty and chewy. Luckily, the messy factor makes this dish popular with kids. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly 2 cups Niku Soboro ½ cup sesame oil ½ cup Shoyu Tare 2 pounds fresh noodles, such as thick Takasuimen Chopped fresh chives

Negi Shredded nori Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) 1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the niku soboro, sesame oil, and tare. 2. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the noodles. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 3. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each ramen bowl. Add the niku-soboro mixture and toss to mix. 4. Top with a sprinkle of chives, negi, nori, and bonito flakes. 5. Mix well before eating. DID YOU KNOW? There is a type of mazesoba called “junk style.” The toppings are pork-back fat, raw garlic, grated cheese, spicy mayo, more raw garlic, chips or crackers, and whatever else the chef defines as junk. It can be a scary idea, but many people get hooked on junk ramen the first time they mix it up. FROM THE STORE Noodles: Use 5 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thick, straight style.

Aburasoba (Soupless Oil Noodles) Aburasoba is another type of soupless ramen that is extremely popular in Japan. The noodles are dressed with a few kinds of oils and garnished with plenty of vinegar and chile oil. Generally, you serve the vinegar and chile oil on the side in plastic squeeze-bottles and let whoever is eating choose how much they want. Two squirts of each is a standard amount. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight 10 slices Pork Chashu, chopped ½ cup Shoyu Tare ½ cup oyster sauce ¼ cup sesame oil ¼ cup vegetable oil 2 pounds fresh noodles, such as Takasuimen 4 Ajitama, halved

Yakinori (roasted nori) Negi White or rice vinegar Chile Oil 1. In a large mixing bowl, toss the chopped chashu with the tare, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and vegetable oil to coat. 2. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the noodles. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. 3. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each ramen bowl. Add the chashu mixture and toss to mix. 4. Top each serving with 1 egg and a sprinkle of nori and negi. 5. Mix well before eating. Offer vinegar and chile oil on the side. INGREDIENT TIP Oyster sauce is a Chinese condiment made from oyster extract, sugar, salt, water, and cornstarch. You can find it at any Asian grocery and at many supermarkets, as well as online. FROM THE STORE Noodles: Use 5 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the thick, straight style. Toppings: Chile oil

Shirunashi Tantanmen (Soupless Spicy Noodles)

Shirunashi means “without soup,” and it is the most traditional way of making tantanmen. If you search for dandanmien, the direct Chinese ancestor of Japanese tantanmen, you’ll find a lot of mega-spicy bowls served with just seasoning and noodles. Makes 4 bowls of ramen Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight ½ cup Sesame Paste ½ cup Chile Oil ¼ cup Shoyu Tare 1⅓ pounds fresh noodles, such as Chukasuimen 2 cups Niku Soboro Negi 1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sesame paste, chile oil, and

2.

3.

4. 5.

tare. With all your ingredients ready to go, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the noodles. Ramen that has been cut to a standard thickness (about 1 mm) will cook in 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the noodles, taking care to shake off as much excess water as you can. Carefully place some noodles in each ramen bowl. Add the sesame-paste mixture and toss to mix. Top with ½ cup of niku soboro and a sprinkle of negi. Mix well before eating. VARIATION TIP If you can find sansho pepper, also known as Szechuan peppercorn, it is a common condiment for this dish. Add it little by little, as the bitter taste of sansho is rather extreme. FROM THE STORE Noodles: Use 3 ounces of dried ramen noodles per bowl, preferably the straight style, normal thickness. Toppings: Chile oil

PAN-FRIED GYOZA

Chapter 10

SIDE DISHES Although most ramen shops in Japan don’t serve side dishes, they are pretty common in American ramen shops. In any case, there is no reason not to make some for your home meal: Plates of gyoza dumplings, piles of fried chicken, and different kinds of pickled and spiced vegetables all make great pre- or post-ramen snacks. Many of these recipes even use some of the ingredients that you may have prepared for your ramen dishes, such as pork chashu or soup. Feel free to double these recipes. While ramen can be tough to serve to a large group, most of these side dishes are easy to serve buffet-style.

Vegetables And Dip Many restaurants in Japan serve a quick snack the minute you sit down. This serves two purposes. First, it justifies the additional table charge that many places add on to the bill. Second, it gives you something to eat instantly. There’s no choice, but there’s no wait, either. A common snack is fresh vegetables with a creamy miso dip—a good way to use up any leftover miso tare you might have made. Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Vegetarian Weeknight Kid-friendly 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup Basic Miso Tare 2 cups mixed vegetable sticks (cucumbers, carrots, daikon radishes, radishes, celery, etc.)

1. In a large bowl, mix the mayo and tare until they are well combined. 2. Serve the veggie sticks on a large plate, with the bowl of dip on the side. VARIATION TIP Any crispy vegetable will work for this—just peel if necessary and cut into sticks. A standard Japanese restaurant will probably have daikon radish, cucumber, carrots, and sometimes cherry tomatoes.

Pickled Cucumbers Japanese pickles are a popular dish served any time during a meal. Cheap restaurants serve them as a snack, while high-end kaiseki (Japanese banquet) restaurants serve them alongside perfectly cooked white rice at the end of the meal. Your choice of broth will determine whether or not this is a vegan dish. Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes, plus overnight to marinate Difficulty level Vegan 4 medium Japanese cucumbers, cut into bite-size pieces 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1. Put the cucumbers in a zip-top bag. Add the soy sauce, soup, and sesame oil. 2. Seal the bag and squeeze the cucumber pieces to help the flavors blend. Leave the bag in the refrigerator overnight. 3. Discard the marinade before serving.

INGREDIENT TIP Japanese cucumbers are slender and thin-skinned, and do not have to be peeled. Persian and English cucumbers are similar. If you can’t find any of them, look for small regular cucumbers, and peel away any tough skin. FROM THE STORE Soup: Use unseasoned low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth.

Moyashi Namul (Seasoned Bean Sprouts) Seasoned bean sprouts are a popular side dish at a few ramen shops in Japan. Sprouts are cheap, so they are often served in a giant, helpyourself container on the counter. They tend to be on the bland side, so shops have found different ways of spicing them up. Namul is actually a Korean way of preparing vegetables, fruits, and herbs that involves a simple marinade and nothing more. If you enjoy this recipe, try it with other hearty vegetables, like radish, eggplant, or leeks. Your choice of broth will determine whether or not this is a vegan dish. Makes 4 servings Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes, plus 1 hour to chill Difficulty level Vegan 1 cup bean sprouts 1 tablespoon any type clear soup (here, here, here, here) 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil 2 teaspoons roasted white sesame seeds ½ teaspoon salt

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil the bean sprouts for 1 minute. Drain and let cool. 2. Put the bean sprouts in a zip-top bag. Add the soup, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and salt. 3. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 4. Discard the marinade before serving. VARIATION TIP These sprouts can be served as a topping for ramen, but the strong flavor might upset the balance of lighter bowls. Try it in a spicy tantanmen bowl or in a karamiso ramen. FROM THE STORE Soup: Use unseasoned low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth.

White Rice For Onigiri (Rice Balls) Rice balls are a staple snack in Japan. They can range from simple Japanese rice with a pinch of salt to more complex ones with elaborate fillings. However you make your rice balls, the start is always Japanese rice. Japanese rice is short grain and quite sticky—which helps the balls stay together. Medium-grain Italian risotto rice can possibly be used, but nonsticky rice will not work. Makes 3 cups Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Difficulty level Vegan Weeknight Kid-friendly 1 cup Japanese rice 2 cups water 1. Put the rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse several times under

cool running water. 2. Transfer the rice to a medium saucepan and add the water. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 8 minutes. 3. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the rice steam for 10 to 15 minutes, until it is soft and fluffy. COOKING TIP If you plan to make rice frequently, a good rice cooker eliminates all the effort.

Yaki Onigiri (Fried Rice Balls) Yaki onigiri uses a soy sauce–based dressing, in this case some leftover chashu seasoning, to give the fried rice balls a dark, flavorful crunch. The key is to get a nice, even crisp on the outside, while the inside remains soft and sticky. Fried rice balls like this are often served as Japanese bar food, or eaten at the end of a meal. Makes 6 rice balls Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly ¼ cup water ¼ cup seasoning liquid from Pork Chashu or Chicken Chashu 3 cups cooked White Rice for Onigiri Sesame oil, for frying 1. In a small bowl, mix the water and chashu seasoning. 2. Take a handful of rice and form it into a ball about the size of a

tennis ball. 3. Brush the liquid seasoning onto the rice ball. Be careful not to get it too wet, or the rice won’t hold its shape. 4. Heat a medium skillet over high heat, then add a little sesame oil to the hot pan. Fry the rice ball on all sides until the outside is seared and crispy, about 2 minutes on each side. 5. Repeat with the remaining rice. VARIATION TIP Yaki onigiri can be cooked on a grill, too: Prepare all 6 seasoned rice balls and freeze them. When it’s time to cook, brush them with sesame oil and throw them on a hot grill. When the outside is crispy, the interior should be thawed out and just the right temperature. The freezing prevents the rice balls from falling apart on the grill.

Chashu Onigiri (Chashu Rice Balls) While yaki onigiri is a great snack, some people like a bit more substance to their rice balls. Rice balls can have almost any kind of filling, from meat, to pickles, to spicy fish eggs. We can easily use some of our leftover chashu to make a chashu onigiri. One of these makes a great snack, while a set of three could double as a nice packed lunch. Makes 6 rice balls

Prep time: 15 minutes

Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly ½ cup chopped Pork Chashu or Chicken Chashu, plus 6 additional slices 1 tablespoon seasoning liquid from Pork Chashu or Chicken Chashu 3 cups cooked White Rice for Onigiri 6 large nori sheets

1. Put the chopped chashu, chashu seasoning, and rice in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, making sure the seasoning is evenly incorporated. 2. Take a handful of the rice mix and form it into a small triangle. Place the chashu slice on top of the triangle. 3. Wrap the rice triangle with a sheet of nori before serving. Don’t wrap it too tightly; the nori is meant to just cradle the rice. COOKING TIP Rice balls can be triangular or round, but a triangle-shape onigiri looks great with a big piece of chashu sticking out of the top. It should look like the onigiri is overflowing. Expensive onigiri shops will go out of their way to show that they aren’t skimping on the filling.

Pan-Fried Gyoza (Japanese Dumplings) While ramen shops in America tend to have more than a few sides on the menu, Japanese ramen shops rarely have any. When a shop does have extras, it is probably gyoza—Japanese-style pot stickers. Gyoza tend to be heavy on garlic (you can add as much as you like, and are a bit smaller than their Chinese counterparts. The key to good gyoza is a nice crisp bottom and a tender top. Serve gyoza with vinegar, soy sauce, and rayu (chile oil) as condiments. Makes about 36 gyoza Prep time: 1 hour, plus overnight to chill Cook time: 10 minutes Difficulty level Kid-friendly FOR THE WRAPPERS 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 teaspoon salt ¾ cup hot water Cornstarch FOR THE FILLING

1½ pounds cabbage Pinch salt 8 ounces minced pork 2 tablespoons seasoning liquid from Pork Chashu or Chicken Chashu 2 tablespoons Basic Miso Tare 6 to 9 garlic cloves, minced 3 teaspoons sugar ½ teaspoon ground ginger Freshly ground black pepper FOR THE GYOZA Vegetable oil, for frying TO MAKE THE WRAPPERS 1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, salt, and hot water. In the bowl, knead the dough well, and form it into a large ball when it is thoroughly mixed. 2. Powder the dough ball with cornstarch and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight. TO MAKE THE FILLING 1. Finely dice the cabbage. Sprinkle with the salt and mix with your hands. Transfer the cabbage to a colander and set over a bowl to drain a bit. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, chashu seasoning, tare, garlic, sugar, ginger, and some pepper. Mix well to incorporate the flavors evenly. 3. Give the cabbage a squeeze to extract as much water as possible, and add it to the pork mixture. Mix everything to combine. TO MAKE THE GYOZA 1. Set a small dish of water to the side of your work surface.

2. Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Roll out the dough very thin with a rolling pin. 3. Use a cookie cutter or the top of a glass to cut the dough into 4inch circles. 4. Lightly dust the gyoza wrappers with cornstarch to keep them from sticking together. 5. Place a heaping tablespoon of gyoza filling in the middle of a wrapper (figure 1). Dip a finger into the water and lightly wet the wrapper around the outside edge. Fold the gyoza in half but do not seal the edges (figure 2). Make a small pleat in the top layer of the the wrapper, leaving the bottom layer unpleated. Press the pleated layer together with the unpleated layer. Repeat 4 to 5 times (figure 3). Place the finished gyoza on a clean plate or baking sheet. Repeat until you have used up all the wrappers and filling. (The uncooked gyoza can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month.) 6. In a large skillet that has a lid, heat about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over high heat. Add the gyoza to the pan. Pour in a little water and cover the skillet. You just need enough liquid to steam the gyoza. This will take 3 to 4 minutes. 7. Remove the lid, add another tablespoon of oil, and fry the gyoza until the bottoms are browned, about 2 minutes. 8. Serve immediately.

INGREDIENT TIP Many Asian markets sell premade gyoza wrappers. They are already cut in perfect circles, so just fill and cook. Gyoza wrappers are generally thicker than wonton wrappers, which makes them better for pan-frying. FROM THE STORE Premade gyoza wrappers.

Age (Deep-Fried) Gyoza Age means “deep-fried” in Japanese, and this is another popular way to prepare gyoza. While it’s tempting to make a big batch ahead of time for a party, deep-fried dumplings like this taste best right out of the fryer. You may have to cook these in batches, so you don’t overcrowd the pan (which would lower the oil temperature too much and make your gyoza greasy). These go well with any kind of spicy or sweet dipping sauce. Makes 36 gyoza Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly Vegetable oil, for frying 1 recipe Pan-Fried Gyoza, uncooked 1. Pour about 2 inches of vegetable oil into a deep pot. 2. Heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Heat over high heat until a pinch of flour sizzles when dropped into the oil. 3. Deep-fry the gyoza in batches for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are

golden brown. 4. Remove the gyoza with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to blot the excess oil. Serve immediately. COOKING TIP Deep-fried gyoza can be made with fresh or frozen gyoza. If you’re using frozen gyoza, fry them for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

Yude (Boiled) Gyoza Boiled gyoza are a common alternative to fried gyoza. They tend to be lighter, because they’re cooked without oil. Boiled gyoza are best eaten hot and can be served in a bit of soup to keep them warm. Use a lighter soup, such as Basic Clear Chicken Soup or Traditional Clear Chicken Soup. Makes 36 gyoza Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly 1 recipe Pan-Fried Gyoza, uncooked, frozen 1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. 2. Drop the frozen gyoza into the water and stir very gently to make sure they do not stick to the bottom of the pot. 3. When the gyoza rise to the surface, about 10 minutes, remove them with a slotted spoon. Serve immediately. VARIATION TIP You can also use fresh, unfrozen gyoza for this recipe. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes,

strain, and serve.

Chashu Bowl Another classic ramen-shop side dish is a small rice bowl. A Japanese friend of mine who went to a wedding in Mexico complained that after a week without Japanese rice, he was feeling sick. Maybe it was all the tequila, but many people in Japan crave a bit of rice with every meal. Ramen shops serve either plain white rice or bowls of white rice topped with a small amount of meat. Makes 1 bowl

Prep time: 15 minutes

Difficulty level Weeknight Kid-friendly 1 cup cooked Japanese rice 2 or 3 slices Pork Chashu or Chicken Chashu, half diced and half left whole 1 tablespoon seasoning liquid from Pork Chashu or Chicken Chashu 1 scallion (green part only), chopped 1 small nori sheet, cut into thin strips

1. In a small serving bowl, mix the rice with the diced chashu and half of the chashu seasoning. 2. Top with the remaining whole chashu, scallion, and nori. 3. Drizzle the remaining chashu seasoning over the rice bowl. DID YOU KNOW? Some people will finish their ramen noodles and dump an entire bowl of rice into the remaining soup. It’s like getting two meals in one.

Chashu Wraps Many Asian countries have their own version of a lettuce wrap: some kind of meat, some kind of well-flavored sauce, plus some kind of crisp green leaf to hold it all together. In Japan, chashu wrapped with a slice of garlic and some sweet-and-hot bean paste can be found at many grilled-meat restaurants. Makes 4 wraps Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 2 minutes Difficulty level

6 tablespoons doubanjiang (Chinese hot bean paste) 6 tablespoons tianmianjiang (Chinese sweet bean paste) Vegetable oil, for frying 1 pound Pork Chashu or Chicken Chashu, cut into 8 thick slices 4 large lettuce leaves 1 garlic clove, very thinly sliced 1. In a small mixing bowl, mix both bean pastes together. Set aside. 2. In a nonstick skillet, heat a bit of vegetable oil over high heat. Sear the chashu slices for about 2 minutes per side. 3. In each lettuce leaf, place 2 slices of chashu, 1 or 2 slices of garlic, and 3 tablespoons of the bean-paste sauce. Gently wrap the lettuce around the fillings.

4. Serve immediately. VARIATION TIP Jars of tianmianjiang (sweet bean paste) and doubanjiang (hot bean paste) can be found at Asian grocery stores and online. If you can’t find tianmianjiang, hoisin sauce is an acceptable substitute, although it tends to be a bit sweeter.

Chashu Banh Mi Leftover chashu matches very well with the strong flavors of Vietnamese bahn mi sandwiches. This Japanese–Vietnamese fusion dish might be a bit large to serve as a side dish next to a bowl of ramen (although you certainly could cut it into smaller portions and serve them to several friends), so consider making it a standalone meal for one—perfect picnic food. In late March, the Japanese cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and everyone ventures out to their local parks for an alcohol-fueled picnic called hanami (literally, “flower viewing”). Although some people bring all the gear to cook up ramen outdoors, a basket full of these bahn mi is just as popular. Makes 1 sandwich

Prep time: 15 minutes

Difficulty level Weeknight ½ baguette Butter, mayonnaise, or liver paste, for spreading 1 lettuce leaf 1 Japanese cucumber, cut lengthwise into thin slices 2 or 3 slices Chicken Chashu or Pork Chashu

Negi Ground coriander 1 chile pepper, sliced (optional) Japanese fish sauce 1. Slice the baguette lengthwise. 2. Spread your choice of butter, mayonnaise, or liver paste on both sides of the baguette. 3. Lay the lettuce, cucumber, chashu, a sprinkle of negi and coriander, and some chile (if using) inside the sandwich. 4. Drizzle with a little fish sauce for flavor. INGREDIENT TIP Japanese fish sauce is not always easy to find, but you can substitute Thai nam pla fish sauce, which you will find at specialty groceries and online. If you can’t find fish sauce (or just don’t like it), oyster and black-bean sauces are acceptable substitutes.

Ban Ban Chashu Chicken (Szechuan Chicken In Sesame Sauce) Ban ban chicken is a dish with Chinese origins that finds its way into ramen shops as a side dish. It is often served at tantanmen shops. The cooling cucumber and tomato balance well with a spicy bowl of ramen. The chile oil can be adjusted up to 1 tablespoon if you like this dish spicy. Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 15 minutes

Difficulty level Weeknight 2 tablespoons Sesame Paste 2 tablespoons Shio Tare 1 pound Chicken Chashu, thinly sliced 1 tomato, thinly sliced 1 cucumber, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon Chile Oil

1. In a medium bowl, mix the sesame paste and tare. 2. Arrange the chicken, tomato, and cucumber slices on a large plate and drizzle with the sesame-shio sauce. 3. Drizzle with the chile oil and serve. COOKING TIP Try to cut the chicken chashu, tomato, and cucumber into equalsize slices. FROM THE STORE Sesame paste, chile oil

Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) Japanese-style fried chicken can be found at homes, in bars and restaurants, and in ramen shops all over Japan. Karaage is so popular that there are even national competitions to determine the best of the best. Our recipe here is a classic one, using soy sauce, sake, ginger, and garlic. Both thigh and breast meat work well. The double-fry technique gives your chicken that extra crispiness. Serve karaage as hot as possible. Makes 4 servings Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour to marinate Cook time: 30 minutes Difficulty level Kid-friendly 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces 2 garlic cloves, minced ½-inch piece fresh ginger, grated ¼ cup sake 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons sesame oil

½ cup cornstarch Vegetable oil, for deep-frying Lemon wedges, for garnish 1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the chicken, garlic, ginger, sake, soy sauce, and sesame oil, and toss well to coat. Put in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to marinate. 2. Put the cornstarch in a medium mixing bowl. Lift the chicken out of the marinade and place in the bowl of cornstarch. Toss the chicken in the cornstarch to thoroughly coat. 3. Fill a deep pot about halfway with vegetable oil. Heat over high heat until a pinch of flour sizzles when dropped into the oil. 4. Carefully place the chicken pieces in the oil, stirring when you first put them in to keep the pieces from sticking to the bottom of the pot or to one another. Deep-fry the chicken for 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels for up to 10 minutes. 5. Right before you’re ready to serve the chicken, reheat the oil and deep-fry the chicken again for 2 minutes. 6. Remove the chicken and let it rest on a wire rack for a couple of minutes to drain. Serve as soon as possible, with lemon wedges. VARIATION TIP Add 2 teaspoons of curry powder to the cornstarch to make curry-flavored karaage.

MEASUREMENTS VOLUME EQUIVALENTS (LIQUID)

US STANDARD

US STANDARD (OUNCES)

METRIC (APPROXIMATE)

2 tablespoons

1 fl. oz.

30 mL

¼ cup

2 fl. oz.

60 mL

½ cup

4 fl. oz.

120 mL

1 cup

8 fl. oz.

240 mL

1½ cups

12 fl. oz

355 mL

2 cups or 1 pint

16 fl. oz.

475 mL

4 cups or 1 quart

32 fl. oz.

1L

1 gallon

128 fl. oz.

4L

VOLUME EQUIVALENTS (DRY)

US STANDARD

METRIC (APPROXIMATE)

⅛ teaspoon

0.5 mL

¼ teaspoon

1 mL

½ teaspoon

2 mL

¾ teaspoon

4 mL

1 teaspoon

5 mL

1 tablespoon

15 mL

¼ cup

59 mL

⅓ cup

79 mL

½ cup

118 mL

⅔ cup

156 mL

¾ cup

177 mL

1 cup

235 mL

2 cups or 1 pint

475 mL

3 cups

700 mL

4 cups or 1 quart

1L

OVEN TEMPERATURES

FAHRENHEIT (F)

CELSIUS (C) (APPROXIMATE)

250°F

120°C

300°F

150°C

325°F

165°C

350°F

180°C

375°F

190°C

400°F

200°C

425°F

220°C

450°F

230°C

WEIGHT EQUIVALENTS

US STANDARD

METRIC (APPROXIMATE)

½ ounce

15 g

1 ounce

30 g

2 ounces

60 g

4 ounces

115 g

8 ounces

225 g

12 ounces

340 g

16 ounces or 1 pound

455 g

GLOSSARY ajitama (味⽟): A combination of the word aji (flavor) and tama (tamago means “egg”), these seasoned hardboiled or half-boiled eggs are what most people think of when they think of a ramen egg. benishoga (紅⽣姜): Thin strips of red pickled ginger. chashu (チャーシュー): Seasoned roasted meat, typically pork (though it can also be chicken), used as a topping on most bowls of ramen. The word originates from the Chinese dish char siu pork, though the Japanese style is quite different. dashi (出汁, だし): Japanese stock. Japanese dashi is usually made with umami-rich ingredients such as seaweed, dried fish, and mushrooms. katsuo (鰹, かつお): Skipjack tuna. This fish is smoked until it is dry to make katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), a main ingredient in Japanese dashi. Combined with konbu, the umami is very strong in katsuo. konbu (昆布): A kind of kelp or seaweed cultivated in Japan and Korea. It forms the base of most Japanese dashi and is very rich in umami. men (麺): Noodles. You may also see soba (そば) used to mean noodles. menma (メンマ): Dried and fermented bamboo shoots. miso (味噌, みそ): A paste made from fermented soybeans, salt, koji fungus, and sometimes rice or barley. It comes in white, yellow, red, and brown varieties, each with its own flavor profile. naruto (なると): The iconic white fish cake with a pink spiral in the middle often found atop a bowl of ramen. negi (ネギ): A Japanese relative of leeks. Scallions are fine as a substitute. niku soboro (⾁そぼろ): A minced-meat topping made from pork,

chicken, or beef. nori (のり): Dried edible seaweed sheets made from a species of red algae. It’s sometimes called laver in English. Toasted sheets of nori are called yakinori (焼きのり). Aonori (⻘のり) is a dried green variety of nori. otsumami (おつまみ): Snacks eaten with beer or sake. shio (塩, しお): Salt. shoyu (醤油, しょうゆ): Soy sauce. tare (タレ): Sauce. In ramen, tare is the seasoning liquid that determines the salty flavors in a bowl of ramen. Tare is combined with dashi to make the soup. umami (うま味): This has become a well-known culinary word in the past few decades. It refers to the deep, pleasant, and rich taste found in many savory foods, and is now officially one of the five basic tastes (along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter). Finally, there are two Japanese words uttered almost every time someone eats. Just before starting, people will say itadakimasu (いた だきます)—which literally means “to humbly receive,” but might be best translated as “let’s eat.” At the end of the meal, gochisosama (ご ちそうさま) is a way to say thanks for the meal. Even if you are alone, try to say these phrases to connect yourself with the art of ramen.

RESOURCES I grew up in San Mateo County, just south of San Francisco, and I remember a local Japanese market (Suruki Supermarket, which still exists) being the only place I’d ever see many of the ingredients needed for ramen. Of course, at the time I was usually there for their half-price sushi at 6 P.M. (the mistakes of youth!) or cans of Japanese “Boss” coffee. If you are lucky enough to live near a town with a market like this, you are good to go. Mitsuwa (Mitsuwa.com) and Marukai (Marukai.com) have stores, mostly in California but also some around America. Increasing amounts of upscale supermarkets, such as Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s, also carry some Japanese ingredients, as do many health-food stores. For noodles, Sun Noodle (SunNoodle.com) sells their excellent noodles at many different stores nationwide. Their website has a store locator; just enter your zip code. For everyone else, the Internet has everything you need: Amazon (Amazon.com) of course carries a wide selection of ingredients and kitchen goods. Asian Food Grocer (AsianFoodGrocer.com) has many Japanese foods, and also recipes, ramen bowls and spoons, and fun stuff like Japanese anime-theme items. E-Food Depot (eFoodDepot.com) sells food from all over the world, sorted by region and country. It’s fascinating to just poke around the website and see what’s there. They also have ramen bowls and spoons and other Japanese housewares. iGourmet (iGourmet.com/japanese-food.asp) imports a wide range of Japanese products to the United States, including seasonings, sauces, pastes, and some dried ramen noodles. MTC Kitchen (MTCkitchen.com) is a Japanese restaurant supplier

with a wide range of food and tableware in many price ranges. Some items come only in large quantities, but many can be bought as a single package or jar. The Japanese Pantry (theJapanesePantry.com) carries artisanal soy sauces, vinegars, seaweed, and sesame pastes and oils. These are expensive but really exquisite items. Tokyo Central (TokyoCentral.com) is Marukai’s online presence. They have a nice selection of soy sauces, miso, and other preserved goods. Also check out my YouTube channel (YouTube.com/user/BrianRamen), where I upload videos with recipes and visits to my favorite ramen shops in Japan.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brian MacDuckston is an expat who has been living in Japan since he quit the tech world in 2006. His website, Ramen Adventures (www.RamenAdventures.com), has to date featured over a thousand ramen shops from Japan and abroad. When he isn’t running ramen tours, promoting ramen on Japanese TV, or filming for his Ramen Adventures YouTube channel (YouTube.com/user/BrianRamen), he is probably traveling the country on his motorcycle in search of Japan’s best slurps. Miyajima Rikisai runs the popular Osaka Ramen School, a ramen-only professional cooking school that has been training Japanese chefs in the art of running a successful ramen shop. The recipes in this book are

adapted from some of his easy home recipes. His ramen school’s resident translator, Asaoka Akane, also greatly helped bring these recipes to life in English. More info about the Osaka Ramen School can be found on the Ramen Adventures website.