Ramen noodles might
be best known in the U.S. as a cheap staple for college students, but the
history of the noodles-and-broth dish pre-dates the instant grocery store
version. Countless variations of ramen noodles exist in Japan--many served in
restaurants, where the wheat-flour noodles are made fresh and served with a
variety of broths and toppings. The inexpensive meal in a bowl is the national
dish of Japan.
Each bowl of ramen---essentially a large, deep bowl of noodle soup---includes a
hefty portion of chewy noodles, broth made usually from soy sauce but sometimes
with miso or pork stock, and toppings such as egg, fish cake, mushrooms,
scallion, ginger, pork, sprouts or other meat or vegetables.
Ramen is eaten noodles first (slurping is polite in Japan; biting a noodle is
unlucky). Then people eat the broth with a large, flat-bottomed spoon. Some
people add pepper flakes or hot sauce to the bowl while eating.
Most histories trace the origins of ramen noodles to China. The Japanese
adopted the dish in the 19th century and started calling it "ramen,"
a version of the Chinese word for the noodles. Ramen noodles were
time-consuming to make, expensive and something of a delicacy until the
mid-20th century.
Because of its relatively cheap ingredients, ramen became a popular staple in
post-WWII Japan. Eventually, it was voted the country's national dish.
Ramenyas, or noodles houses, sprouted throughout Japanese cities, and the style
of broth or type of toppings varied among region. Ramen is also sold from
street carts, in chain restaurants and even vending machines.
In 1958, the owner of Japanese company Nissin Foods, Momofuku Ando, decided to
produce instant noodles made by deep-frying ramen noodles. With the distinctive
block of curly noodles and a flavor packet (shrimp, chicken, beef, etc.),
instant ramen makes a salty but filling meal or snack. Noodles and a flavor
packet are sold in cups or bowls, and are inexpensive when bought on sale or by
the case. Nissin's Top Ramen often costs less than 20 cents a packet. Add
boiling water to the noodles to soften them, stir in the flavor packet, let the
whole thing sit for a minute or two, then eat.
Instant ramen's popularity has grown beyond Japan and the U.S.; in southeast
Asia and the Middle East, ramen comes in flavors like marsala, curry, cheese
and tom yam.
In the early 2000s, ramenyas, or traditional Japanese ramen restaurants, became
popular in New York, Los Angeles, and European cities.
Numerous websites and fan groups are dedicated to ramen noodles; in Japan, you
can buy guidebooks to thousands of ramen restaurants. Yokohama, Japan, has a
ramen museum, and Ikeda City is home to Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum. A
restaurant in Tokyo serves ramen made by a robot.
In New York, the popular East Village restaurant Momofuku began as a noodle
shop, and won much praise and large crowds, inspiring other restaurants to open
in the neighborhood
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