- Pale Ale Travel
- Posts
- #4. The Weekly Travel Tea š«: Life is Just That Much Better WithšRamen - The Osaka Ramen Bible
#4. The Weekly Travel Tea š«: Life is Just That Much Better WithšRamen - The Osaka Ramen Bible
Thereās an integrity, fastidiousness, and heritage behind this (actually) Chinese staple, that ensures youāre in for a quality meal - no matter where you are in Japan.
Big Body
July 24, 2024
Hi there. Itās Big Body.
Did you know there are four primary types of ramen broth?
Miso,
Shoyu,
Tonkotsu, and
Shio.
To be honest, up until my 3 months living in Osaka, Japan, I thought ramen wasā¦wellā¦singularā¦just ramen. However, thereās surprising depth to ramen and its preparation, with each style being delicious in its own way.
Curious about the 'machineā in the feature image (Web version)? At most ramen shops in Japan, you pay for your meal at a little vending machine that dispenses a ticket, which you then give to the staff.
For example, š²miso (originating in Hokkaido, Japan) boasts a rich, creamy texture that is both salty and sweet, with slightly earthy undertones brought about by the soybean pasteās fermentation. Because of the salty and sweet depth of its broth, miso typically pairs well with pork, corn, and roasted vegetables.
š±Shoyu, on the other hand, uses a clear and aromatic broth based on chicken, vegetable, or even beef (and sometimes fish) stock and is infused with soy sauce, resulting in a salty, tangy, and versatile base. This salty and savory broth is often accompanied by toppings of pork, green onions, and bamboo shoots to round out the flavor profile.
š·Tonkotsu ramen is a thick and creamy broth which is made by boiling pork bones. This prolonged, rolling boil extracts flavors, nutrients, and essence of the bones, breaking down collagen, marrow, and other components, and distilling them into an almost milky, white creamy deep pork flavor. Because of this, it is commonly garnished with its originator (pork) and other ingredients like soft-boiled eggs, nori (seaweed), and other vegetables.
š§Shio ramen (and Ohio) is for (salt) lovers. Itās a Hawthorne Heights type of Wednesday. This clear, light broth is driven by salt and boasts an almost translucent appearance that prioritizes the natural flavoring of its added ingredients. This is typically the go-to broth for more delicate ingredients such as kelp, white fish (cod, sole, and flounder), clams, and chicken.
On top of these four, there are countless amalgamations, so much so that it would take me years just to write this email.