Welcome! To the another article of Culturious,today we are going to inform you about 10 Amazing things you didn’t know about the famous Japanese dish,Ramen!

It Most Likely Originated in China, Not Japan

It is widely believed that ramen noodles first made their way to Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912). In fact, the word “ramen” is the Japanese pronunciation of a type of Chinese noodle, lamian. Before the 1950s, ramen in Japan was called simply “shina soba,” or “Chinese soba.”

Each Japanese Region Has a Signature Style

Some examples include Sapporo-style ramen (miso ramen with roast pork, bamboo shoots, and scallions), Tokyo ramen (a seafood-heavy broth with roast pork, fish cake, and spinach), Kyoto-style (pork and chicken-based broth with roast pork, bamboo, scallions, and nori).

They’re Designed to Have as Much Umami as Possible

If ramen really “hits the spot,” it’s because it’s absolutely packed with that savory, meaty “fifth taste” called umami. Umami-rich kelp is an essential part of the stock, which can also be packed with umami bombs like soy sauce, dried tuna flakes, dried baby sardines, and mushrooms.

A Secret Ingredient Makes the Noodles Extra-Firm

Ever wonder why the noodles in ramen don’t turn to mush, like the noodles in chicken noodle soup do? It’s because they contain what’s called kansui, an alkaline mineral water usually containing sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, and phosphoric acid. This makes them slightly yellow, gives them a firm and chewy texture, and prevents them from absorbing too much stock and turning to mush.

World War II Revolutionized the Ramen World

Ramen didn’t really catch on throughout Japan until after World War II, when a couple things happened: One, the Japanese market was flooded with cheap flour from the United States, making noodles much easier to come by; and two, Japanese troops developed a taste for noodles while in China and set up Chinese restaurants and noodle shops back in Japan. The Japanese quickly seized on the ramen movement and made it their own.

There’s a Ramen Museum in Yokohama

The food-themed amusement park, which opened in 1994, includes a massive recreation of Tokyo circa 1958 (the year instant noodles were invented), and is full of ramen stands representing the country’s most famous ramen shops. There’s also an old-style bar, snack shops, and a souvenir shop.

There Are Ramen Vending Machines in Tokyo

Linking back to our previous post.In the Akihabara district of Tokyo, a popular ramen restaurant has set up vending machines that dispense warm ramen in a can (caked ramen kan). Available in several flavours including tonkotsu and curry, each can includes soup, noodles, bamboo, and pork, and comes with a small plastic fork.

Slurping ramen is not a rude notion in Japan.

In fact, it’s expected. To eat ramen quickly without burning yourself, slurp the noodles to cool them down before swallowing.

Ramen noodles where the first ever kind of noodles to be consumed in space!

That’s it for today! I sure did not know all these great facts before! What about you?Want me to create another article about something else?Let me know down in the comments. And remember stay CULTURIOUS!

"Culture is the arts elevated to a set of beliefs."
–Thomas Wolfe