A comfort food loved worldwide by many, Ramen has been warming people's souls from the inside out for some time now. The dish has gained much more popularity over the last few years, resulting in a mix of fusion and bold flavor combinations, some following traditional and some not. One thing remains the same, however: No matter how you have it, a bowl of ramen is delicious any day of the year. While most Japanese food in America is not what it looks like in Japan, this one can actually be made at home.
There are just some Japanese dishes that must be tried, and ramen is undoubtedly one of them. There are many delicacies in the world, but none have made such an impression as the broth and noodle-based dish that everyone loves so much. While it can easily be found in supermarkets, the microwaveable version is nothing compared to a bowl of homemade ramen. The good news? It's not as much of a challenge to make as many might think, and it's wholesome and delicious.
Shoyu Ramen
Shoyu is a popular traditional type of ramen, one which you might see when dining at a ramen shop. While it's a bit more complex than simple ramen, its flavor can't be beaten and once you try it, you'll never look at pre-packaged ramen the same way.
Four main components of Shoyu include: Dashi, a clear, a flavorful stock made up kelp and bonito flakes, tare, which is concentrated soy sauce, nitamago, which is a marinated soft-boiled egg, and chashu, which is braised pork belly cooked in tare. It takes a bit of time, but this recipe breaks every step down, from soup to, well, more soup. Every component is made from scratch as well, so you know it'll be authentic.
Simple Chicken Ramen
Fork Knife Spoon has a simple, yet delicious take on ramen, with an easy recipe that incorporates all the flavors of traditional ramen. While the art of making such a dish does take and patience, this recipe makes the process quick, easy, and delicious nonetheless. There's also a bit of versatility in this recipe, as the chicken can be seasoned whichever way you want prior to roasting it. The addition of leaving the skin on adds flavor and indulgence that's similar to pork belly.
To make this recipe even more flavorful, the soft-boiled eggs can be marinated in a marinade with a soy sauce base to make nitamago. This boosts the flavor quite a bit and also increased the salt content, so adjust if necessary. With only 45 minutes of cook time, you could be enjoying a fresh, hot bowl of chicken ramen, without even breaking a sweat.
Easy Vegetarian Ramen
Vegetarian ramen is great because not only can it be left vegetarian, but other components can be added to jazz up the dish. Traditionally, ramen can be made with a mushroom broth, making the base itself vegetarian from the start. This recipe takes only 30 minutes and can be made with vegetarian broth if you can't find mushroom, or don't have the time to make it.
The process is as simple as chopping up every veggie ingredient, adding it to the pot, allowing it to cook, and then adding noodles. The fun part comes later when it's time to add the toppings - this is where foodies can get creative and add things such as grilled shrimp (for a non-veggie version), nori (seaweed), sprouts, grilled corn, roasted garlic, siracha, and basically any other fresh ingredient one can think of. It's a fun way to spice up otherwise traditional ramen!