Ramen: step-by-step recipe

Discover how to make ramen at home with this easy and authentic recipe. Learn the steps and ingredients.

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It’s an indisputable fact: Japanese cuisine has found its place in our country. So much so that Japanese culinary habits are becoming increasingly familiar to us, and it’s not uncommon for us to use terms such as sushi, sashimi, maki or nigiri... or ramen, a dish that is causing quite a sensation. But what is ramen? Today we find out all about this delicious Japanese noodle broth. Yum!

What is ramen?

First things first, let’s find out what ramen is. Ramen is a recipe made with wheat noodles, and although there are different types of ramen, the most common and well-known is made with pork or chicken broth. The garnishes vary, but generally include ingredients such as pork cuts, seaweed, fermented bamboo, spring onions and a boiled egg cut in half.

Origin of ramen

Although few people know it, ramen originated in China over four thousand years ago. It was first eaten by the nobility and then became a staple among the Chinese population. The arrival of ramen in Japan is attributed to an exiled Chinese politician and writer who was taken in by a Japanese feudal lord. As a gesture of gratitude, the Chinese politician made him a bowl of noodles with broth. And so ramen officially appeared in Japan.

While it’s true that ramen arrived in Japan as a Chinese dish, it was here that it found its true place and began to evolve into the recipe we know today, one that has crossed all borders. It’s worth noting that the Second World War played an important role in the popularisation of ramen, as the shortage of rice and the abundance of wheat (which was imported as humanitarian aid) led to the production and consumption of wheat noodles and, consequently, ramen.

Ramen ingredients

To prepare our ramen, we will need the following ingredients:

For the broth:

1 chicken carcass
300 g pork belly in one piece
1 onion
2 leeks
2 carrots
3 cloves garlic
fresh ginger
4 fresh shiitake mushrooms

For the marinated eggs:

4 eggs
1 clove of garlic
fresh ginger
200 ml soy sauce
60 ml mirin
25 g brown sugar

For the garnish:

300 g ramen noodles

chives

nori seaweed

spinach sprouts

black sesame seeds

Ramen recipe step-by-step

To make our ramen, follow the recipe below - take note!

First, tie the pork belly with twine so that the skin is on the outside and the ends are almost touching. Then heat a little oil in a pressure cooker and sear the bacon on all sides until golden brown. Remove and discard the oil.
Next, put all the peeled and washed vegetables into the pot: the onion, the green part of the leeks, the carrots and the garlic cloves. Also, clean the remains of soil from the mushrooms, cut three slices of ginger and add everything to the pot.
Then, just add the chicken carcass and the pork belly. Cover everything with water, close the pan and bring to the boil. Turn the valve to position 2 and count 15 minutes from the moment steam starts to come out. Once the time has elapsed, turn off the heat and wait for the pressure to drop before opening the pot.
Set aside the bacon and mushrooms, as these will be used to accompany the ramen at the end. Strain the broth, discard the rest of the chunks and skim off the fat to make it lighter.
For the marinated eggs, fill a small saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Carefully place the eggs in the water to avoid cracking, and cook them for 6 minutes. Then cool them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and peel them.
In a small saucepan, heat all the ingredients for the marinade. Once it reaches a boil, remove from the heat and submerge the eggs and pork belly. Let them marinate for a couple of hours, turning them occasionally to ensure they soak up the sauce thoroughly.
Next, cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet, and everything will be nearly ready to assemble and serve the ramen. All that’s left is to remove the twine from the pork belly and slice it thinly. Halve the eggs, chop the chives, slice the mushrooms, and cut a sheet of nori into pieces.
When serving the ramen, heat the broth until it boils so it reaches the table at a good temperature. Then, in each bowl, add four or five spoonfuls of the marinade from the eggs and pork belly, a portion of broth, noodles, two egg halves, and a few slices of pork belly. Garnish with sliced mushrooms, a handful of spinach shoots, nori seaweed, and chopped chives, and, to finish, sprinkle with black sesame seeds.

Now we have our delicious ramen ready to eat. Enjoy!