He ramenthat broth accompanied by vegetables from Asian which has risen to fame thanks to social networks and whose restaurant establishments have invaded the streets of numerous cities in Spain. Everyone talks about it, but does anyone know exactly what it is, where it comes from and what its effects are? real ingredients?.
According to the chef and writer Tim Anderson in his book Ramen forever, recipes to succeeddefining ramen is very complicated due to the large number of cultures that have cooked it in different ways in different countries and times. Although the chef also explains that its origin is not in a single Chinese dish, but in several noodle soups that emerged in Japan at the same time.
Fortunately, nowadays there is no need to travel to China or Japan To taste a good ramen, almost any Spanish city already has a restaurant specialized in this dish or an Asian place where it is served. But be careful, all that glitters is not ramen, this dish must have certain components to be considered original ramen.
According to Anderson, any ramen worth its salt must contain brothtare, noodles, aromatic oils and accompaniments. If it does not contain any of these five ingredients, it is not an original dish but rather a copy to the creator’s taste.
The broth
It is believed that the broth, or sūpu in Japanese, is the most important part of ramen but the truth is that the fundamental thing is the good combination of all ingredients. What is true is that a good ramen broth must be cooked correctly with the fat of the chicken or meat chosen and seasoned appropriately since it will be the base of our dish.
The task
Another of the fundamental elements that cannot be missing in a ramen is tare, a very special ingredient that is directly related to the broth. It is a liquid that is used to flavor and season the broth and represents approximately 15% of its flavor. The most important thing about this food is that it contains all the salt and umami of the dish that gives it that characteristic taste and aroma.
The noodles
For many, the most important thing about a good ramen is its noodles. Cooked right at its exact pointneither hard nor too soggy, this type of pasta has been used for years in Asian cuisine, especially as an accompaniment to broths and vegetables. The noodles are the link between the rest of the ingredients, and when they finish cooking in the broth and tare, they absorb that perfect touch of flavor to complete an ideal dish.
aromatic oil
For Anderson, the oil is a unique opportunity to add unique complexity and evocative fragrance. The truth is that the aromatic oils or the fats used for it have the quality of providing flavor and a certain body or texture to the broth. They make a generally simple dish become powerful and satisfying since sometimes lard or derivatives are used to create them.
The accompaniments
This part of the ramen is a little more open to the taste of the consumer, the most common are the boiled eggsoy, some type of animal protein such as lean or seafood and some vegetables or plant products such as mushrooms, carrots, or celery. Each person has their tastes and prepares ramen with their favorite ingredientsbut it is clear that it must have one of these if it is really expected to be like the original.
