Ramen

Ramen

Shōyu ramen
Alternative names	Nankin soba, shina soba, chūka soba
Type	Noodle soup
Place of origin	Japan China (origin) Yokohama Chinatown, Japan (adaptation)
Region or state	East Asia
Main ingredients	Chinese-style alkaline wheat noodles, meat- or fish-based broth, vegetables or meat
Variations	Many variants, especially regional, with various ingredients and toppings
Cookbook: Ramen   Media: Ramen

Ramen (/ˈrɑːmən/) (拉麺, ラーメン or らあめん, rāmen, [ɾaꜜːmeɴ] ^ⓘ) is a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles (中華麺, chūkamen) served in a broth. Common flavors are soy sauce and miso, with typical toppings including sliced pork (chāshū), nori (dried seaweed), menma (bamboo shoots), and scallions. Ramen has its roots in Chinese noodle dishes and is a part of Japanese Chinese cuisine.^[1] Nearly every region in Japan has its own variation of ramen, such as the tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen of Kyushu and the miso ramen of Hokkaido.

The origins of ramen can be traced back to Yokohama Chinatown in the early 20th century. The word "ramen" is a Japanese borrowing of the Chinese word lamian (拉麵), meaning "pulled noodles", but is not derived from the northern Chinese dish of lamian. Instead, the dish evolved from southern Chinese noodle dishes from regions such as Guangzhou, reflecting the demographics of Chinese settlers in Yokohama. Ramen gained popularity in Japan, especially during food shortages following World War II. In 1958, instant noodles were invented by Momofuku Ando, further popularizing the dish.

Today, ramen is a cultural icon in Japan, with many regional varieties and a wide range of toppings. Examples include Sapporo's rich miso ramen, Hakodate's salt-flavored ramen, Kitakata's thick, flat noodles in pork-and-niboshi broth, Tokyo-style ramen with soy-flavored chicken broth, Yokohama's Iekei Ramen with soy flavored pork broth, Wakayama's soy sauce and pork bone broth, and Hakata's milky tonkotsu (pork bone) broth. Ramen is offered in various establishments and locations, with the best quality usually found in specialist ramen shops called ramenya (ラーメン屋).

Ramen's popularity has spread outside of Japan. In Korea, ramen is also known as its original name (라멘), having their own variation of the dish, ramyeon (라면). In China, ramen is called rìshì lāmiàn (日式拉面/日式拉麵 "Japanese-style lamian"). Ramen has also made its way into Western restaurant chains. Instant ramen was exported from Japan in 1971 and has since gained international recognition.