4 Things You Didn't Know About Ramen

Friday, March 20, 2015

In honor of Monday's Ramen Fest, we met up with Chef George at Makan to find out more about this infamous noodle dish. We are now armed with the knowledge (and the appetite) to pick a winner at Ramen Fest 2015! Here is what we learned...

#1 There is a Ramen Noodle King

Chef George tells us that using fresh noodles in ramen is the only way to go. We can always get on board with fresh! But when it comes to the US, one ramen noodle maker reigns supreme: Sun Noodles. This family buisness is operated by a third generation noodle maker, making almost 100,000 servings of custom ramen noodles per day for almost all of the top ramen shops in the US. That's a lot of noodles!! The youngest member of the Uki family, Kenshiro, is on a mission to introduce craft ramen to the masses in the US by partnering with chefs and elevating ramen’s status. We think he's doing a pretty good job!

_{(Photo cred: Sun Noodle)}

#2 It's all in the Broth

According to Chef George, there are 2 basic types of broth. In Japan, they are called kotteri (rich) and assari (light). "Thick, rich and heavy kotteri broths are made from bones that have been slow-simmered for several days," he told us. "Then there are clear and thin assari broths that have a lighter body, and are made from bones, vegetables or fish that has been cooked at a lower simmer for a shorter amount of time so as not to cloud the broth."

So what are we typically eating? Chef George says the most popular broth, Tonkotsu broth, is a type of kotteri stock. "It is made from slow-simmered pork bones for as long as several days giving it a rich, fatty and creamy consistency. The different broths are preferred by ramen eaters depending on their regional preference and also what season it is."

Drooling at the thought of a rich, slow-simmered sauce? We've got you covered! Next week we'll be posting a Beef Ramen recipe featuring a kotteri broth! 

#3 There's No Wrong Way to Ramen

There are so many variations of Ramen both in Japan and other Asian countries that have their own versions of similar noodle soups like Korea and Taiwan. Just like there are very localized preferences in American BBQ, the same goes for Ramen. In fact nearly every city in Japan has it’s own preferred variation of Ramen. In Southern Japan they love a thick Tonkotsu version, in Northern Japan the most popular type are miso based ramen and in Seoul, they will add spicy chili paste and kimchi to their ramen.

#4 Ramen has a Controversial History

The history of Ramen is actually quite controversial and several books have been written on this topic. Most will agree that ramen started as a distinctly Chinese soup that arrived in Japan with Chinese tradesmen in the nineteenth century, through the American occupation after the war. Like many beloved foods, it started as a cheap way for laborers to eat. Then it became a Japanese national frenzy in the eighties and the craft movement started in the nineties and continues today.

See you at Ramen Fest!

Wondering which ramen reigns supreme in Atlanta? Monday is your chance to find out as chefs from all over Atlanta come together to compete for the title. St. Cecilia took home the prize last year. Grab your tickets to Ramen Fest and cast your vote for 2015's winner! If you're not already sold, proceeds will go to benefit the Decatur Education Fund. Do it for the kids! Then try your hand at Makan's Beef Ramen, on our menu 3/25!