Ramen broth does more than flavour the noodles: it gives the dish its identity. Depending on its base and seasoning, it may be clear and strongly flavoured with soy sauce, rounder with miso or creamy in the tonkotsu style.
A bowl of ramen generally relies on three elements: the broth itself, a concentrated seasoning known as tare, and an aromatic oil.
Commercial preparations may combine some or all of these elements in liquid or powdered form. Once diluted, they make it possible to serve ramen or chukamen noodles without spending several hours preparing a stock.
The composition remains important. Some broths are based on chicken, pork or dried bonito, while others rely on soy sauce, miso, kombu, mushrooms or vegetable oils.
There are many regional and modern styles of ramen, but three are particularly well known in France.
Shoyu ramen is characterised by a clear, salty and aromatic broth in which soy sauce plays a central role.
Miso ramen has more body and a rounder fermented flavour. It pairs particularly well with corn, cabbage, mushrooms or minced meat.
Traditional tonkotsu broth is made by cooking pork bones for a long time until the soup becomes pale, opaque and creamy.
Products described as “tonkotsu style” may reproduce this rich, creamy character without following the traditional recipe and may sometimes contain no pork. The flavour style should therefore not be confused with the actual ingredients, which should always be checked on the product page.
Prepare the broth directly in a large ramen bowl, following the amount of water indicated for the product.
Cook the noodles separately, drain them and add them to the broth at the last moment. This prevents excess starch from clouding the soup and makes it easier to control the texture of the noodles.
You can then add an egg, spring onion, bamboo shoots, nori, vegetables, meat or any other toppings suited to the recipe.
For soba or udon, a tsuyu or mentsuyu is generally more suitable than a ramen broth.
