# Ramen noodles from scratch



## taqueso (Dec 13, 2004)

After visiting Japan and eating a large selection of ramen soups, I am anxious to try to make my own. The problem is that I can't locate a recipe for ramen noodles. Even when I locate a recipe for ramen soup from scratch (i.e. chashumen), it will simply call for packaged noodles. From speaking to a few Japanese (non-chef) people, I think that ramen noodles differ from udon noodles due to the addition of soda to the ramen noodles. I am not sure about that, though.

Can anyone help me out with a recipe for ramen noodles or other information on how these noodles are made?

Thanks!


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## keeperofthegood (Oct 5, 2001)

Hey oh

I am almost certain that these noodles are the result of industrial processe. I myself looked into these not long ago, and found no recipe on the noodles themselves. Esentially they are a noodle made for boiling water instat soups.

I would be as interested if there was a home version, but I do not think such exists.


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## taqueso (Dec 13, 2004)

I do not want to recreate instant ramen noodles, but the noddles used in actual Ramen-specific shops in Japan where the noodles are definately made "fresh" by the chefs. Check out http://www.worldramen.net/ for lots of pictures and reviews of ramen (but no recipe!).


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## auzzi (Dec 13, 2004)

Ramen from Scratch By: Andrew Lynch
Johnson and Wales University, - Miami, FL
2 cups flour 
4 eggs 
salt 
1 T. water 
Oil for frying 
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add the eggs and water. Combine until it comes together to form a nice pasta dough. Let rest 30 minutes, then roll through pasta machine with an angel hair attactment. Twirl your desired amount in a nest. Let your nests dry for a couple hours, then deep fry for 3 minutes on each side. Let cool. Boil in salted water until tender. (Since this is fresh ramen without any perservites, store in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for 3 months)
[Andrew] notes, "I am a culinary arts major at Johnson and Wales Univeristy. I love to cook, and whenever possible I make all my own ingredients from scratch."

This recipes does not have the oil which is added to the dough with sodium bicarbonate to make the noodles springy.

Also:
Making home-made Ramen (Japanese Noodles)
http://www.foodvenue.com/content/fea...nese_ramen.asp

This site mentions the soda added to the recipe.


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## mudbug (Dec 30, 1999)

If you can find the film Tampopo to rent, it's all about those noodles in Japan.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0092048/

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search


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## keeperofthegood (Oct 5, 2001)

Hey oh

Tampopo, now there is a fun movie to watch. I don't know what the makers of this film went through to make it, in terms of background research, but it does have some very sage advise to cooks of all types.

Worth the watch, for sure.


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## taqueso (Dec 13, 2004)

Thank you for the information everyone, esp. auzzie. A friend of mine is going to Japan in a week and he agreed to find out a recipe for the noodles from someone there. I will report back here with whatever he finds out.


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## ramenlover (Jul 19, 2008)

see naruto episode 168, it may sound dumb but if you know the ingredients it can really help!


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

You need stronger google-fu grasshopper, even if this thread is years old

http://www.mattfischer.com/ramen/?p=4

How to make REAL Japanese ramen from scratch - Instructables - DIY, How To, - The Instructables Book Contest Entry

Phil


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## iheartjerky (Jul 27, 2008)

I wish i would have made my own Ramen noodles in college. I could have saved a ton of money. Right?


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## thelastbearcub (Feb 7, 2009)

Has anyone ever seen the chinese noodles ever being made, this is how ramen should be made as well. The Naruto episode 168 is the way you should prepare these noodles because it shows in the episode the EXACT same method that the Chinese la mian noodles are prepared; as the Japanese are said to have derived ramen from these noodles. The dough is the difference, ramen uses eggs while la mian only uses flour and water. I have NOT confirmed this, however I am almost 100% sure that this is correct. I will be posting further once I have confirmed this.


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## chalkdust (Feb 18, 2009)

very interesting thread


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## jodydenton (Aug 12, 2011)

Make sure to get the Summer 2011 (very first) edition of Luck Peach magazine which is a fantastic new quarterly by David Chang of Momofuku.  This whole edition is devoted mostly to to cult of Ramen and has a great recipe for fresh Alkaline style ramen noodles.  I just made my first batch and they rock.  The alkaline salt give the noodle the toothiness that you are looking for in a great soup noodle.  The whole magazine is pretty facinating.


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## pohaku (Jul 11, 2011)

A resurrected thread!

Not precisely Ramen, but the local favorite in Hawaii - Saimin. Kind of a cross between Chinese and Japanese noodles - Its origins continue to be debated. Not pre-fried like Ramen. The lye water is essential and gives it a chewy texture.
[h3]Saimin Noodles[/h3]
5 pounds all-purpose flour
5 eggs
1 T salt
3 to 3-1/2 cups water
1/4 cup lye water (Potassium Carbonate and Sodium Bi-Carbonate solution - available in Asian stores)

Using mixer with dough hook:

Pour flour in mixer bowl.

In a separate container, beat together eggs, water, salt and lye water. Pour liquid mixture slowly into flour while mixing slowly.

Knead well, about 5 minutes. If using fewer eggs or if dough is crumbly, add a little more water. It will be a stiff dough.

Pack dough tightly in the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rest 30 minutes to 2 hours, if possible, in a cool place.

Cut dough into 4-6 pieces. Work with one piece at a time; leave remaining dough covered with damp cloth.

Using a crank pasta machine:

Dust pasta machine with a little cornstarch periodically to prevent dough from sticking to machine.

Pass the dough through the machine 4 - 5 times, each time turning and folding the dough, till dough is smooth and elastic. Pass dough through machine and thin to desired thickness (I like my noodles a bit thick).

Dust dough with cornstarch before cutting. Pass dough through noodle-cutter and cut into 10- to 12-inch lengths.

Wind noodles into fist-size bundles. Cook immediately or wrap individual bundles in plastic wrap or plastic bags for storage in refrigerator or freezer.

Rinse cornstarch off noodles just before cooking.

Cook noodles in water that has come to a rolling boil. Cook noodles 1 to 3 minutes, depending on desired texture (cook less for firm, chewy noodles).

When done, freshly made noodles will rise to the top of the boiling water; frozen or older noodles will take a little longer to rise, about 3 minutes.

For the soup base, I use a home style Chinese type broth (not a Bonito based Dashi):

Makes 6 to 7 cups:

2 quarts Chicken stock (home made or your preference of brand)

1 pound Pork neck bones

2 pieces Chung Choi (salted preserved turnip tops and pieces, wrapped into small bundles)

10-12 small dried shrimp

Salt to taste

Simmer for 1 hour, skim and strain. If you want it to taste a bit more like the sea, you could add a piece of Konbu (seaweed) to the broth.

Garnish as you like - cilantro, green onions, char siu, kamaboko fish cake would be typical in Hawaii (and perhaps Spam as well, of course). Add soy sauce and sesame oil to taste.


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## oregoncurtis (Jul 24, 2010)

Anyone have any other tips or recipes? I found this:

http://norecipes.com/blog/2010/11/30/homemade-ramen-noodle-recipe/

But the dough is extremely stiff. I don't have a pasta roller and I don't know how I'm going to roll it out enough to make long noodles. I believe that real ramen noodles aren't supposed to have eggs, but maybe some types do?

This topic is seriously lacking in english internet resources...


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## htarko (Sep 19, 2013)

I know this thread is old but figured I'd add 


2 cups bread flour
1.5 cup water
100ml baking soda or 1 teaspoon kansui


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## pandapaul (Oct 16, 2013)

One of my Japanese teacher once told me that Ramen came from China and that's why ramen (in Japanese Kanji word) is the same as traditional Chinese word la mian.


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## chefmatt (Jan 3, 2014)

Momofoku cookbook!


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## sledgehammer (Jan 29, 2014)

_By not putting the baking soda in the batter you have changed the true flavor of the ramen. if yoou add soda to some water and then bake then add to flour you create a true ramen dough, in texture and flavor._


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## marcoleavitt (Mar 24, 2013)

I'd really like to know if you could fake Asian noodles with a pasta machine as well. The authentic way is to stretch them, and it looks like it would take months, maybe years to learn. The reason you can't find any recipes is because most of them are a closely guarded secret.


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