The History of Ramen Noodles
Ramen noodles might be best known in the U.S. as a cheap staple for college students, but the history of the noodles-and-broth dish pre-dates the instant grocery store version. Countless variations of ramen noodles exist in Japan--many served in restaurants, where the wheat-flour noodles are made fresh and served with a variety of broths and toppings. The inexpensive meal in a bowl is the national dish of Japan. Does this Spark an idea?
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What is Ramen?
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Each bowl of ramen---essentially a large, deep bowl of noodle soup---includes a hefty portion of chewy noodles, broth made usually from soy sauce but sometimes with miso or pork stock, and toppings such as egg, fish cake, mushrooms, scallion, ginger, pork, sprouts or other meat or vegetables.
Ramen is eaten noodles first (slurping is polite in Japan; biting a noodle is unlucky). Then people eat the broth with a large, flat-bottomed spoon. Some people add pepper flakes or hot sauce to the bowl while eating.
The Chinese Origins of Ramen
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Most histories trace the origins of ramen noodles to China. The Japanese adopted the dish in the 19th century and started calling it "ramen," a version of the Chinese word for the noodles. Ramen noodles were time-consuming to make, expensive and something of a delicacy until the mid-20th century.
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The Rise of Ramen
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Because of its relatively cheap ingredients, ramen became a popular staple in post-WWII Japan. Eventually, it was voted the country's national dish. Ramenyas, or noodles houses, sprouted throughout Japanese cities, and the style of broth or type of toppings varied among region. Ramen is also sold from street carts, in chain restaurants and even vending machines.
Instant Ramen Noodles
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In 1958, the owner of Japanese company Nissin Foods, Momofuku Ando, decided to produce instant noodles made by deep-frying ramen noodles. With the distinctive block of curly noodles and a flavor packet (shrimp, chicken, beef, etc.), instant ramen makes a salty but filling meal or snack. Noodles and a flavor packet are sold in cups or bowls, and are inexpensive when bought on sale or by the case. Nissin's Top Ramen often costs less than 20 cents a packet. Add boiling water to the noodles to soften them, stir in the flavor packet, let the whole thing sit for a minute or two, then eat.
Instant ramen's popularity has grown beyond Japan and the U.S.; in southeast Asia and the Middle East, ramen comes in flavors like marsala, curry, cheese and tom yam.
Ramen--Trendy in the 2000s
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In the early 2000s, ramenyas, or traditional Japanese ramen restaurants, became popular in New York, Los Angeles, and European cities.
Numerous websites and fan groups are dedicated to ramen noodles; in Japan, you can buy guidebooks to thousands of ramen restaurants. Yokohama, Japan, has a ramen museum, and Ikeda City is home to Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum. A restaurant in Tokyo serves ramen made by a robot.
In New York, the popular East Village restaurant Momofuku began as a noodle shop, and won much praise and large crowds, inspiring other restaurants to open in the neighborhood.
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