This is where the rubber meets the road. You have learned the fundamentals of how to build a great bowl, and you are ready to show your friends that you can indeed make a serious bowl of ramen. There are new styles of ramen being created every day. They are all based on one of the four base flavors in a chintan (clear broth), paitan (cloudy broth), or sometimes even a combination. First let’s explore the most basic recipes. Then I’ll give you some classic and beloved regional styles from Japan, and finally, my own styles and recipes from the Otaku Ramen shop.

Regional ramen is a term used in Japan and the U.S. as a catchall phrase akin to the term farm-to-table. The concept is that styles of ramen have evolved or been created based on where the ramen is from. I like to think that a bowl of ramen is unique to the place where it is made, and in a sense it always is, simply because of the ingredients used (bones, water, etc.). When I first began making ramen, I chose to make tonkotsu, and by using Tennessee pork bones and topping it with shredded pork, I paid a little homage to Tennessee-style pulled pork barbecue. A great example of Japanese regional ramen is from a shop on Rishiri Island, north of Hokkaido. The shop uses a large amount of Rishiri kelp, some of the most expensive kelp in the world, and which is specific to that region of Japan. It’s a shoyu style, but the umami from the kelp makes this particular bowl very unique and truly regional.

On the other hand, a bowl does not need to be tied to its terroir to be great. The region a ramen comes from tells part of the story but not all of it. The rest of the story belongs to the cook. Begin by looking for local bones, and as you learn more about the basics of ramen, you, too, will be able to incorporate ingredients and techniques that make your ramen regional. If you live in Kansas City, maybe you need to make a “Burnt Ends Ramen” (please call me if you do; I’d like to eat that). Another great ramen shop in the U.S., Ramen Tatsu-Ya in Austin, makes a brisket mazemen that blows minds—a brilliant marriage of local Texan flavors and Japanese technique.

These recipes are meant to demonstrate the most basic versions of each ramen.

RAMEN BOWL ASSEMBLY

When it comes to serving, the best way to approach ramen is to think of yourself as a one-person assembly line. You want everything—your serving bowls, broth, fat, noodles, and toppings—to be within reach so you can assemble your bowl as quickly as possible. The moment the noodles hit the boiling water, the clock is ticking. The key here is proper organization.

1

Get your biggest pot going three-quarters of the way full of water to a boil, ideally with a strainer that fits into it (or a double boiler with holes in it), in order to cook the noodles—more on that in a second. Make sure your serving bowls and all toppings, tare, and fats are laid out for easy access.

2

Add the tare and fat and dried powders to each serving bowl.

3

While the noodles boil, heat the stock in a separate large pot over medium heat to 190°F (do not boil it).

4

If one of your toppings is the Soy Pork Belly or Rolled Pork Belly, now is the time to pull out a sauté pan and sear your slices for 30 seconds on each side. Set aside while the noodles cook.

5

Now is also a good time to peel and cut the Ramen Eggs in half, if using.

6

Cook the noodles according to the package instructions, minus a few seconds of cooking time, as the noodles will continue to cook in the hot broth. In the restaurant, we use noodle cages to keep individual noodle portions separate, but at home, it’s easier to use a strainer, which allows you to pull the noodles out of the boiling water quickly and cleanly—very important in ramen assembly, where every second counts.

7

When the noodles have about 30 seconds of cooking time left, ladle the stock into each bowl. When the noodles are done, pull the strainer containing them out of the hot water, and using chopsticks, divide the noodles among the serving bowls, into four even portions, working as quickly as you can.

8

Once the noodles are in the soup, use chopsticks to lightly stir them around, so that stock and fat evenly coat each noodle. Then grab as many noodles as possible with your chopsticks, pull them upward out of the stock, and lay them flat across the top, creating a sort of raft for the proteins and vegetables.

9

Add your toppings and serve immediately!

CHEF INTERVIEW:

Yuji Haraguchi (Okonomi, Yuji Ramen)

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Where did you grow up in Japan and what was the main style of ramen there?

I grew up in Utsunomiya, Tochigi. The city is known for gyoza, not ramen. There are a lot of gyoza restaurants [there] where you get only two or three different types (boiled, fried, and pan seared) of gyoza, rice, and beer . . .

Tell me what it was like working for the Tsukiji Fish Market of Tokyo out of NY? Is this where you learned so much about fish?

I worked at a Japanese seafood company that imported fish from Tsukiji. I learned that the quality of Japanese seafood comes a lot from the philosophy of how they handle and take care of ingredients in Japan. If we import just that philosophy instead of actual products, we can develop amazing Japanese food cultures in the U.S. with local ingredients here.

When did you make your first serious bowl of ramen?

I think 2011 . . . Until then I didn’t eat ramen at all.

When I started thinking about my first ramen pop-up, I visited your stall at Smorgasburg in Brooklyn. How did that all begin for you?

I thought that it was important to test [my] creations and build customers before having my own restaurant. I tried to offer at least one new dish every weekend. Having YUJI Ramen ramen stand at Smorgasburg every weekend was the best way to do it. Also, it allowed me to work at a restaurant during the week, as I had never worked in the restaurant before.

Mazemen was the first style you offered. How did you find that style, and what inspired you?

When I started making ramen in 2011, I had no idea how to make good broth and struggled. I bought many ramen cookbooks and nothing made sense to me . . . but when I discovered mazemen, I got so excited because I was able to link it with the Japanese-style pasta, which I was good at making and loved eating. My very first part-time job in college was actually a server at a Japanese Italian restaurant. So I tested a lot of flavors from my memories of eating there with ramen noodles instead of pasta. At that time, no one was doing mazemen at all in the U.S. I didn’t care how good my mazemen would be for customers that time. I just wanted to be the first one doing it. I also thought that mazemen will make ramen more accessible for a lot of people here. I noticed that slurping hot noodle in hot broth was not easy for American customers.

What do you think the biggest differences are between ramen in the U.S. and ramen in Japan?

It’s definitely the perception on what the ramen should be. Japanese people are very particular about what it should be and don’t always go outside of what’s familiar to them. But American customers will accept any style of ramen as long as it’s good. That’s why I enjoy making ramen here in the U.S. and wanted to create new ramen cultures here.

What’s the most extreme interpretation of ramen that you have eaten? Can it go too far and break too many rules?

I believe in new creations for traditional cuisines. But at the same time, it’s important to be within the limitations and rules that define the cuisine. If I see extreme styles of ramen that [don’t] make sense to me, I just don’t eat it . . .

What’s the ramen secret you wish everyone could know?

It’s “mottainai.”

Where in the world (outside of Japan) do you see the most exciting ramen being created?

At Otaku Ramen in Nashville!

MAZEMEN

Mazemen is a newer style of ramen that literally means “mix it up” in Japanese. It is described as a brothless ramen style that is served either warm or cold and contains more of a sauce than a broth. Ivan Ramen’s Triple Garlic Mazemen and Yuji Haraguchi’s Bacon and Egg Mazemen are some of the most incredible-tasting ramen I have ever had. The Sicilian in me wants to make mazemen a lot, and I find myself experimenting with a crossroads of flavors in this style more than others.