foodbriefs
1:01in productionCh. 1 · What the dish is and where it came from/ 1:01 · ceiling 15 min
Dishes · Culture

Ramen

Ramen is Japanese wheat noodles made with alkaline water, served hot in broth.

Ramen is a Japanese dish of Chinese-style alkaline wheat noodles served in hot broth. Its origins are traced to Yokohama Chinatown in the late 19th century.

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Chapters & takeaways7
  1. 0:00
    What the dish is and where it came from

    Ramen is a Japanese dish of Chinese-style alkaline wheat noodles served in hot broth.

  2. 0:10
    How it works, in terms someone would actually use

    It uses chūkamen noodles made with kansui (alkaline salt water), served in several flavors of hot broth.

  3. 0:17
    What it gets right

    It gets right a distinct chewy noodle texture and savory broth variety, both defined by its alkaline noodles and broth pairing.

  4. 0:25
    What it does not

    It does not include rice or non-wheat noodles, making it unsuitable for those avoiding gluten or wheat.

  5. 0:32
    What it changed

    It changed after World War II, gaining nationwide popularity due to wheat availability and rice shortages, then again with instant ramen’s 1958 invention.

  6. 0:41
    Who it is for, and who it is not

    It is for people seeking an affordable, wheat-based hot meal.

  7. 0:51
    Is it worth your time

    It is worth your time if you eat wheat and want a widely available, historically working-class Japanese dish that evolved into a national staple.

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What works
  • It gets right a distinct chewy noodle texture and savory broth variety, both defined by its alkaline noodles and broth pairing.
What does not
  • It does not include rice or non-wheat noodles, making it unsuitable for those avoiding gluten or wheat.
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      The written brief1 min read

      What the dish is and where it came from

      Ramen is a Japanese dish of Chinese-style alkaline wheat noodles served in hot broth. Its origins are traced to Yokohama Chinatown in the late 19th century.

      How it works, in terms someone would actually use

      It uses chūkamen noodles made with kansui (alkaline salt water), served in several flavors of hot broth.

      What it gets right

      It gets right a distinct chewy noodle texture and savory broth variety, both defined by its alkaline noodles and broth pairing.

      What it does not

      It does not include rice or non-wheat noodles, making it unsuitable for those avoiding gluten or wheat.

      What it changed

      It changed after World War II, gaining nationwide popularity due to wheat availability and rice shortages, then again with instant ramen’s 1958 invention.

      Who it is for, and who it is not

      It is for people seeking an affordable, wheat-based hot meal. It is not for those avoiding wheat or seeking historically elite or non-working-class food.

      Is it worth your time

      It is worth your time if you eat wheat and want a widely available, historically working-class Japanese dish that evolved into a national staple.

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