Can you make good ramen at home, and is it worth the effort?
Maria, Salford
Yes, and yes, according to Tim Anderson, author of Ramen Forever. “It’s straightforward to make a really good version at home, and you can surpass the quality of most ramen available in high-street restaurants and supermarkets,” he says, although he accepts it is something of a project. “A lot of this is hands-off time, though – leaving things to simmer, infuse, boil …”
What will make the difference between a so-so bowl of ramen and a great one is homemade noodles. “Good shop-bought noodles can be hard to find,” Anderson says. You’ll need kansui, AKA the alkaline salts sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate, which isn’t a matter of “being pedantic; it’s what gives ramen noodles their chewy, springy quality”, plus it’s easily available online. Then start with a 40% hydration dough. “You hear the word hydration used a lot in ramen noodle-making, but it’s just about how much water is used in relation to the flour,” Anderson explains. “Trust the dough, and if it’s too crumbly to work with, rest it in a plastic bag and that will help it to hydrate evenly and become workable.”
