[:it]

Ramen: “Imperatore” della tavola Giapponese.

Photo credits: narutonoodle.com/

Fino a pochi anni fa, per amanti o meno della cucina etnica, andare al Giapponese equivaleva prettamente a gustare Sushi: piatto composto da pesce crudo e riso.

Questo piatto da colori e forme suggestive strizza l’occhio ai commensali più modaioli (ma non solo!), che hanno modo di gustare “prima con gli occhi che con la gola”. Ma ora un altro piatto famoso in tutto il Giappone è finalmente approdato anche sulle nostre tavole, facendo impazzire i più.

Il Ramen (ラーメン,拉麺 rāmen), forse vero e proprio piatto rappresentativo del paese. Talmente conosciuto in tutto il Giappone che vanta per ogni regione un suo modo diverso di farlo. Regione diversa, ricetta diversa. Gustiamole tutte allora …

Una zuppa ricca di ingredienti: spaghetti cinesi, carne di maiale, Nori (海苔) o alga secca, uova sode, e il kamaboko. Da noi conosciuto come surimi, la sua forma più famosa, quella a spirale, si chiama Naruto (come il personaggio del manga omonimo il cui nome è ispirato proprio a questo ingrediente) . Il brodo può essere di pesce o carne, varie guarnizioni e modi diversi di insaporire, con semi di sesamo o pepe, dal miso alla salsa di soia.

Storia di una Zuppa

Photo credits: travelcaffeine.com

Benché non sia chiaro quando ebbe inizio la diffusione di questo piatto in suolo giapponese, l’origine è cinese, visto che uno degli ingredienti base sono i mian o spaghetti cinesi di frumento. Va anche detto che in Cina solo negli ultimi anni c’è stata una riscoperta, non considerato più piatto tradizionale ma d’importazione giapponese. In Cina vengono chiamati rìshì lāmiàn “Lamian in stile Giapponese”.

Il Ramen è sempre stato un piatto da gustare fuori casa, e all’inizio del ‘900 c’erano numerosi chioschi da strada con gestori Cinesi. Poi, dopo la Seconda Guerra Mondiale, i soldati giapponesi di rientro dalla Cina, dove avevano appreso la tradizione culinaria, aprirono diversi ristoranti in tutto il paese. Da lì in poi, una continua evoluzione che ha portato a come si conosce il Ramen oggi giorno.

Così tanto amato che dal 1994 è stato aperto a Yokohama lo Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum il museo interamente dedicato a questa prelibatezza.

Ramen da compagnia.

Photo credits: jpninfo.com

Come detto in precedenza, in passato non era poi così strano gustare scodelle di Ramen nei chioschi da strada, famosi anche oggi giorno sebbene non diffusissimi. Questo perché il Ramen è anche un cibo da strada da assaporare nei tradizionali Yatai, bancarelle mobili. I migliori ristoranti invece sono i Ramen-ya con pochi posti a sedere sia al banco che ai tavoli, ma con la finalità di mangiare solo Ramen.

E non è inusuale trovare piatti di Ramen in parchi divertimento o nei menù dei karaoke. Ci scappa anche che finito il lavoro tra colleghi si faccia un salto agli Izakaya, pub con la formula Nomihodai “all you can drink” e Tabehodai “all you can eat”. Qui, con un tempo massimo di tre ore, i commensali tra liquori ed altri cibi possono gustare anche il Ramen con un menù dal prezzo fisso.

Menzioni d’onore e le regionali.

 Photo credits: zerochan.net

Benché la ricetta classica sia comune in tutto il Giappone ci sono varianti sempre innovative.

Qui va menzionato il Ramen Blue , di un bellissimo e brillantissimo colore, e vogliamo anche dirlo del tutto naturale! Ma questa è un’innovazione estrema.

Le varianti “classiche” regionali sono:

• Quella di Tokyo con tagliatelle spesse in brodo di pollo al gusto soia, con guarnizione di germogli di bamboo, scalogno, maiale a fette, spinaci alghe, un uovo e un po’ di Dashi. Da provare nei quartieri di Ikebukuro, Ogikubo e Ebisu.

• A Sapporo è famosa per la versione “invernale”, con talvolta frutti di mare, burro, maiale, mais e germogli di fagioli.

• Yokohama ha il le-kei , uovo alla coque dove il commensale deve indicare la morbidezza desiderata per poi romperlo ed insaporire il brodo con cipolla, maiale, spinaci e alga.

• Kitakata con tagliatelle spesse ma piatte, servite in brodo di maiale.

• Hakata con brodo composto da osso di maiale, e con spaghetti sottili, zenzero, aglio, verdure in senape e semi di sesamo.

Se leggendo questo articolo vi è venuta una gran fame vogliamo lasciarvi alcuni indirizzi dove poterlo gustare qui in Italia:

Nozomi

Via Pietro Calvi 2, 20129 Milano, Italia
+39 02 7602 3197
http://www.nozomi.milano.it/

Casa Ramen

Via Porro Lambertenghi 25, Milano, Italia
+39 02 3944 4560
https://www.facebook.com/casaramen

Zarà Ramen

Via Solferino, 48, 20121 Milano, Italia
+39 02 3679 9000
https://www.facebook.com/zazaramen/

Mi-Ramen Bistro

Viale col di lana, 15 | Viale Col Di Lana, 15, 20136, Milano
+39 339 232 2656
http://mi-ramenbistro.it/

Osaka

Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi 68, 20121 Milano, Italia
+39 02 2906 0678
http://www.milanoosaka.com/

Ryukishin

Via Ariberto 1, 20123 Milano, Italia
+39 02 8940 8866
http://www.ryukishin.it/

Banki Ramen

Via Dei Banchi 14 Rosso, 50123, Firenze, Italia
+39 055 213776

Waraku

Via Prenestina 321/A, 00177 Roma, Italia
+39 06 2170 2358
https://www.facebook.com/Waraku-192626757583758/[:en]

Ramen: The “emperor” of Japanese cuisine.

Photo credits: narutonoodle.com/

Until a few years ago, for ethnic cuisine enthusiasts, going to a Japanese restaurant strictly referred to consuming Sushi: a dish made of raw fish and rice.

This dish, with its colourful and evocative shapes, winks at the most fashionable diners (but not just them!), who have the opportunity to taste “first with their eyes, then with their mouth”.  But now another famous dish from Japan has finally made its way to our tables with many people going crazy about it.

We are talking about Ramen (ラーメン,拉麺 rāmen), perhaps the real representative dish of the country. It is so famous throughout Japan that each region boasts a different way to prepare it. Different region, different recipe. Let’s taste them all then…

It is a soup dish with many ingredients: noodles, pork, Nori (海苔) or dried seaweed, boiled eggs, and the kamaboko which is also known as surimi. Its most famous form, the spiral one, is called Naruto (like the manga character of the same name whose name derives from this ingredient). Ramen can be made with either a seafood-based or meat-based broth, various garnishes, and different ways to flavour it; sesame seeds or pepper, for example, miso or soy sauce.

Story of a Soup

Photo credits: travelcaffeine.com

Although it is unclear when the popularisation of this plate began in Japan, it originally came from China as one of its main ingredients is the Chinese mian,or wheat noodles. But we must say that in recent years, there has been a reintroduction of this dish in China, as ramen is no longer considered a traditional dish from China, but a Japanese imported product. In China, they are called rìshì lāmiàn or “Japanese style Lamian”, which is considered as a completely different dish from the Chinese lāmiàn.

Ramen has always been a dish to be enjoyed outside and at the beginning of the 20th century, there were numerous kiosks manned by Chinese handlers. Then, after the Second World War, Japanese soldiers returning from China, where they had learned this culinary tradition, opened several restaurants across the country. From that point on, there has been an evolution that led to ramen as we know it today.

It is so appreciated that in 1994, the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, which is entirely dedicated to this delicacy, was opened in Yokohama.

‘Company’ Ramen.

Photo credits: jpninfo.com

As previously mentioned, it was not an oddity to taste bowls of ramen in street stalls in the past. These stalls are still popular today, although not as widespread as they once were. This is because ramen is also considered a street food to be enjoyed in traditional Yatai’s or stalls. On the other hand, the best restaurants are the Ramen-ya with just a few seats at the counter and at the tables as well, but with the purpose of eating ramen only. It is not unusual to find ramen in amusement parks or in karaoke’s menus. It may also happen that after work colleagues stop by an Izakaya, a pub with the formula Nomihodai “all you can drink” – Tabehodai “all you can eat”. Here, with a limit of three hours, diners can enjoy ramen together with liquor and other foods with a fixed-price menu.

Honourable mentions and regional variants

Photo credits: zerochan.net

Although the classic recipe is common throughout Japan, there are always innovative variants.

Here we have to mention the Blue Ramen, of beautiful and brilliant colour, and we want to specify that this is completely natural! But this is an extreme innovation.

“Traditional” regional variants are:

• Tokyo variant, with thick noodles, chicken and soy broth, garnished with bamboo shoots, shallots, sliced pork, seaweed, spinach, an egg and a little bit of Dashi. We recommend that you try shops in Ikebukuro, Ogikubo and Ebisu wards.

• Sapporo is famous for their “winter” version, sometimes garnished with seafood, butter, pork, corn and bean sprouts.

• Yokohama has the le-kei , coddled eggs for which each customer can choose the desired softness and then break it so to flavour the broth, also adding onion, pork, spinach and seaweed.

• Kitakata, with its thick but flat noodles, served with pork broth.

• Hakata and its broth made of pork bones, thin noodles, ginger, vegetables, mustard and sesame seeds.

If reading this article made you really hungry we want to recommend some places where you can taste ramen in Italy:

Nozomi

Via Pietro Calvi 2, 20129 Milano, Italia
+39 02 7602 3197
http://www.nozomi.milano.it/

Casa Ramen

Via Porro Lambertenghi 25, Milano, Italia
+39 02 3944 4560
https://www.facebook.com/casaramen

Zarà Ramen

Via Solferino, 48, 20121 Milano, Italia
+39 02 3679 9000
https://www.facebook.com/zazaramen/

Mi-Ramen Bistro

Viale col di lana, 15 | Viale Col Di Lana, 15, 20136, Milano
+39 339 232 2656
http://mi-ramenbistro.it/

Osaka

Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi 68, 20121 Milano, Italia
+39 02 2906 0678
http://www.milanoosaka.com/

Ryukishin

Via Ariberto 1, 20123 Milano, Italia
+39 02 8940 8866
http://www.ryukishin.it/

Banki Ramen

Via Dei Banchi 14 Rosso, 50123, Firenze, Italia
+39 055 213776

Waraku

Via Prenestina 321/A, 00177 Roma, Italia
+39 06 2170 2358
https://www.facebook.com/Waraku-192626757583758/

 [:ja]

Ramen: “The emperor” of Japanese cuisine.

Photo credits: narutonoodle.com/

Until a few years ago, for ethnic cuisine enthusiasts, going to a Japanese restaurant strictly referred to taste Sushi: a dish made of raw fish and rice.

This dish, with its colorful and evocative shapes, winks at the most fashionable diners (but not just them!), who have the opportunity to taste “first with their eyes than with their mouth”.  But now another famous dish in Japan has finally made its way to our tables, with many people going crazy about it.

We are talking about Ramen (ラーメン,拉麺 rāmen), perhaps the real representative dish of the country, and so famous throughout Japan that each region boasts a different way to prepare it. Different region, different recipe. Let’s taste them all then…

A soup with many ingredients: Chinese noodles, pork, Nori (海苔) or dried seaweed, boiled eggs, and the kamaboko. Mainly known as surimi. Its most famous form, the spiral one, is called Naruto (like the manga character of the same name whose name derives from this ingredient). It can have fish or meat broth, various garnishes and different ways to flavor it, with sesame seeds or pepper for example, miso or soy sauce.

Story of a Soup

Photo credits: travelcaffeine.com

Although it is unclear when the spread of this plate began in Japan, the origin is Chinese as one of its main ingredients are the Chinese mian or Chinese wheat noodles. But we must say that only in recent years there has been a revival in China, as ramen is no longer considered a traditional dish but a Japanese imported product. In China, they are called rìshì lāmiàn or “Japanese style Lamian”.

Ramen has always been a dish to be enjoyed outside and at the beginning of the 20th century there were numerous kiosks with Chinese handlers. Then, after the Second World War, Japanese soldiers returning from China, where they had learned this culinary tradition, opened several restaurants across the country. From that point on, there has been an evolution that led to ramen as we know it today.

It is so appreciated that in 1994 the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum entirely dedicated to this delicacy was opened in Yokohama .

‘Company’ Ramen.

Photo credits: jpninfo.com

As previously mentioned, in the past it was not so strange to taste ramen bowls in street stalls, which are still popular today, though not so very widespread. This is because ramen is also considered a street food to be enjoyed in traditional Yatais or stalls. On the other hand, the best restaurants are the Ramen-ya with just a few seats at the counter and at the tables as well, but with the purpose of eating ramen only. And it is not unusual to find ramen in amusement parks or in karaoke’s menus. It may also happen that after work colleagues stop by an Izakaya, a pub with the formula Nomihodai “all you can drink” – Tabehodai “all you can eat”. Here, with a limit of three hours, diners can enjoy ramen together with liquor and other foods with fixed-price menu.

Honorable mention and regional variants

Photo credits: zerochan.net

Although the classic recipe is common throughout Japan there are always innovative variants.

Here we have to mention the Blue Ramen, of a beautiful and brilliant color, and we want to specifie this, it is completely natural! But this is an extreme innovation.

“Traditional” regional variants are:

• Tokyo variant, with thick noodles, chicken and soy broth, garnished with bamboo shoots, shallots, sliced pork, seaweed, spinach, an egg and a little bit of Dashi. We recommend you try shops in Ikebukuro, Ogikubo and Ebisu wards.

• Sapporo is famous for the “winter” version, sometimes garnished with seafood, butter, pork, corn and bean sprouts.

• Yokohama has the le-kei , coddled eggs for which each customer can choose the desired softness and then break it so to flavor the broth, also adding onion, pork, spinach and seaweed.

• Kitakata with its thick but flat noodles served with pork broth.

• Hakata and its broth made of pork bones, thin noodles, ginger, vegetables, mustard and sesame seeds.

If reading this article made you really hungry we want to recommend some places where you can taste ramen in Italy:

Nozomi

Via Pietro Calvi 2, 20129 Milano, Italia
+39 02 7602 3197
http://www.nozomi.milano.it/

Casa Ramen

Via Porro Lambertenghi 25, Milano, Italia
+39 02 3944 4560
https://www.facebook.com/casaramen

Zarà Ramen

Via Solferino, 48, 20121 Milano, Italia
+39 02 3679 9000
https://www.facebook.com/zazaramen/

Mi-Ramen Bistro

Viale col di lana, 15 | Viale Col Di Lana, 15, 20136, Milano
+39 339 232 2656
http://mi-ramenbistro.it/

Osaka

Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi 68, 20121 Milano, Italia
+39 02 2906 0678
http://www.milanoosaka.com/

Ryukishin

Via Ariberto 1, 20123 Milano, Italia
+39 02 8940 8866
http://www.ryukishin.it/

Banki Ramen

Via Dei Banchi 14 Rosso, 50123, Firenze, Italia
+39 055 213776

Waraku

Via Prenestina 321/A, 00177 Roma, Italia
+39 06 2170 2358
https://www.facebook.com/Waraku-192626757583758/

 [:]