You need five things: broth, flavour-giving tare, noodles, fat and toppings. And it’s the toppings that make it really special. Here are five versions, from a Toyko classic to a new Cardiff cult hit
Watch our guide to the UK’s best ramen renegades in Feed with Jimi Famurewa
At its simplest, ramen is the balance of five elements: broth, tare (secret seasoning sauce), noodles, fat and toppings. If you understand that, this seemingly cryptic and complex corner of Japanese food culture opens right up. The first four take time, but if you pick up a shop-bought stock and some decent noodles, I won’t tell anyone. But the toppings are where the real payoff is: the fastest way to turn a midweek nothing into something worth showing off.
A universal note
Spring onions should be used to top every bowl (finely diced white onion will work as a backup). Where there’s a broth, aim for 300ml, and where dashi is mentioned, instant is fine – unless you’re vegan, in which case steep 20g each of kombu and dried shiitake in one litre of cold water overnight, and keep the mushrooms for the soboro. Noodle portions are 130g unless stated otherwise, and any specialist items should be available online or at your local Asian supermarket.
