I had to go to Japan to learn that ramen is much more than:
Notes
Ramen’s boundaries are limitless.
With thousands of possible flavors and varieties, ramen is unique in that each dish is born from a chef’s individual and free, unconstrained idea and concept. Known as the Japanese “soul food,” a bowl of ramen contains that special something—the trifecta of soup, noodles, and toppings—that brings forth the cosmos and transcends all culinary ethnicities and nationalities.
The basic ramen broth is derived from the essence of pork, chicken, beef or seafood, and is seasoned with soy sauce, salt, miso and other various ingredients, depending on the chef’s personal preference. The noodles are made with flour, eggs, kansui (an alkaline water that provides a chewy texture), among other ingredients, and can vary greatly in thickness, length, form and texture. Toppings such as chashu (simmered pork) and tamago (flavored boiled egg) are also commonly used, as well as a number of vegetables like sweet corn, bean sprouts or dried seaweed.
Don't forget to order extra noodles!
It's called “kaedama”
