Ramen

Name: Ramen
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 75 min
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese Menu
Ingredients: Water — To taste; Chicken Stock Powder — To taste; Soy Sauce — To taste; Oyster Sauce — To taste; Sesame Oil — To taste; Ramen Noodles — To taste; Pork Loin/Belly — To taste; Eggs — To taste; Green Onions — To taste; Spinach/Bok Choy — To taste; Nori Seaweed — To taste

This collection of authentic Japanese ramen styles offers six easy, homemade versions ranging from crispy pork tonkatsu ramen to a rich, milk-based tonkotsu-style broth and a healthy stir-fried vegetable ramen. By using essential umami-packed ingredients like chicken stock powder, each recipe captures the depth and complexity of a professional ramen shop, making it beautifully simple to create a comforting, restaurant-quality experience in your own home kitchen.

Cuisines

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 45 minutes
Cooking: 75 minutes

Servings: 2 to 4

Notes:

The secret to achieving a restaurant-level ramen broth at home is high-quality chicken stock powder, such as Shantan; it provides a deeply savoury, complex umami base that mimics long-simmered, traditional professional stocks.

When preparing tonkotsu-style ramen at home, the unexpected addition of milk to your seasoned chicken stock base perfectly replicates the creamy, rich mouthfeel and white appearance of a traditionally long-boiled pork broth.

For the ultimate tender chashu pork, sear the meat thoroughly to lock in flavour before simmering it slowly; tying the rolled pork tightly with string ensures it maintains its shape and cooks evenly throughout the braising process.

Achieving the perfect ajitama (seasoned egg) requires boiling for exactly 8 minutes before immediately transferring to an ice water bath; this results in a gloriously jammy, soft-set yolk that contrasts beautifully with the salty marinade.

When frying tonkatsu for ramen, use a slightly lower oil temperature and cook for a longer duration of 4 minutes per side, as the sugar in the seasoning marinade can cause the breading to brown and burn much faster than standard recipes.

Prepare Broth
Combine water with your choice of soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock powder, garlic, ginger, and sugar; bring to a gentle simmer, avoiding high heat if dairy ingredients are included.

Prepare Toppings
Sear and simmer pork in a mixture of sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar until tender, or bread and deep-fry pork cutlets with potato starch for a crunchy topping; boil eggs for 8 minutes and chill.

Cook Noodles
Boil ramen noodles in a separate pot of water according to the package instructions, ensuring they are cooked and drained perfectly just as the soup base is heated through.

Assemble
Place the hot, seasoned soup into a serving bowl, add the perfectly cooked noodles, and arrange your prepared proteins, seasoned egg, green onions, and nori seaweed neatly on top.

Serve
Finish with a final drizzle of sesame oil or additional spices if desired, and serve immediately while the broth is piping hot to ensure the best texture and aroma.