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Sliced chashu in its Slurpped box
What a ramen kit should have in it: a chef's buyer's guide
Ramen kits come in three kinds: the supermarket sachet, the frozen box and the chilled box. Here is what to look for in any of them, from a chef who... Read more...
A bowl of smoked tofu and spiced miso ramen photographed from above on dark slate
Ramen without the pork: building depth from kombu, shiitake and miso
A bowl with no bones in it still has to be deep. Kombu and shiitake for the base, two misos for body, smoked tofu and miso-glazed sweet potato on top.... Read more...
A finished bowl of Roast Chicken Ramen at home
Ramen at home: what you actually need, and what you don't
The honest list for a proper bowl at home: broth, tare, aroma oil, fresh noodles, a protein and garnishes. Here is the from-scratch route and what it costs you in... Read more...
A bowl of tonkotsu ramen with a salt tare, chashu and spring onion
What is tare, and why it is the seasoning, not the broth
Ramen broth arrives at the bowl unseasoned. The seasoning is tare, a small, concentrated thing added to the bowl before the broth, and it decides what the ramen tastes of.... Read more...
A ramen bowl topped with chashu, a marinated egg and spring onion
Ramen toppings: what goes on, in what order, and why
A bowl of ramen is built, not poured. Warm the bowl, aroma oil in first, broth over it, then noodles and toppings in an order that makes everything meet in... Read more...
A bowl of Chilli, Miso and Yuzu Ramen ready to eat
How to eat ramen properly (chopsticks, spoon, and yes, slurp)
Slurping is not bad manners, it is how the bowl is meant to be eaten. Broth first, noodles pulled high, toppings worked in, and eat it while it steams. The... Read more...
Fresh ramen noodles lifted from a bowl of tonkotsu on chopsticks
Ramen noodle types: hakata, Tokyo style, and which broth each suits
The noodle decides how a bowl eats. Thin and firm for a heavy pork broth, medium and wavy for a clear one, thick and chewy for miso. Here is the... Read more...
A bowl of Roast Chicken Ramen with a clear broth and fresh noodles
How long does ramen broth take, and how long does it keep?
The two questions I get asked most, answered straight: how long a real ramen broth takes to make, and how long it keeps in the fridge or the freezer. Read more...
A bowl of Proper Tonkotsu Ramen with pork belly chashu and spring onion
What is tonkotsu, and why does it take all day?
Tonkotsu is pork bone broth, taken literally: bones, water, heat and a whole day. Here is what is in it, why there is no short version, and what that means... Read more...