RP242 The Slurp Heard Around the World

 RP242 The Slurp Heard Around the World

Ramen connects us. A food that instantly evokes Japan actually came from China. It was then revolutionized by a man from Taiwan, China, and is a staple of American college students.

Ramen is the name of both a type of noodle and a dish. Ramen noodles are thin and squiggly. They're made of wheat flour and a particular kind of alkaline mineral water. The properties of this water add to the flavor and the elastic texture of the noodles. Ramen is usually hand pulled, so it has to stretch.

These noodles go into a dish that has local variations all over Japan. Almost all ramen variations start with a chicken or pork broth. The four basic types of ramen are defined by their broth. Salty (shio) ramen has a clear, yellowish broth that may include seaweed and fish. Pork bone (tonkotsu) ramen has a white broth with a lot of fat, making it creamy. Soy sauce (shōyu) ramen broth is based on soy sauce. Miso ramen uses miso and oily chicken or fish broth, giving it a rich flavor.

To these bases chefs add different ingredients to make a meal in a bowl. Common ramen ingredients are eggs, seaweed, seafood, garlic, ginger, and even corn. Regions, restaurants, and chefs are very proud of their particular ramen and guard their recipes jealously.

Ramen as we know it was born in the 1900s. Back then, it was served in Chinese restaurants and was still called shina soba (Chinese noodles). These restaurants— and ramen—exploded during the 1950s. Then in 1958, the Chinese-Japanese inventor Momofuko Ando invented instant ramen. Packaged in brightly colored plastic packets, cheap but tasty ramen became part of the diets of college students and anyone on the run.

Ramen is such an important part of Japanese culture that there's now a ramen museum in Yokohama. Embracing a new idea and making it your own—isn't this the essence of our world?