Ingredients Guide
Noodles
- Thin Straight - For light broths, quick cooking time
- Thick Wavy - Holds thick broth well, chewy texture
- Curly (Miso style) - Traps sauce, popular in Hokkaido
- Straight Thick - Traditional Kyushu style
Proteins
- Pork Bones - For tonkotsu broth, simmer 12+ hours
- Chicken Bones - Base for lighter broths
- Chashu Pork - Braised pork belly, served sliced
- Ground Pork - For miso ramen topping
- Eggs - Soft-boiled for ajitsuke tamago
Vegetables & Garnishes
- Green Onions - Sliced thin for topping
- Corn - Common in miso ramen
- Bamboo Shoots (Menma) - Fermented bamboo
- Bean Sprouts - Adds crunch
- Nori - Seaweed sheets
- Spinach - Blanched for shio ramen
Suppliers
- Butcher Shop - Pork bones, chashu, chicken
- Fish Market - Dried sardines, kombu for dashi
- Grocery Store - Noodles, vegetables, eggs
- Specialty Shop - Authentic Japanese ingredients
Storage Tips
- Fresh noodles - Use within 24 hours
- Dried noodles - Store in cool, dry place
- Pork bones - Refrigerate up to 3 days
- Chashu - Keeps 5 days refrigerated
- Vegetables - Most keep 1 week in fridge