Can’t decide if going for noodles or soup? Try some ramen

YERU EBUEN & TITASH CHAKRABORTY - The history of ramen is quite contentious but one thing is clear, the Japanese has improved on it and truly claimed it to be their own. When you can’t decide if you want a hot bowl of soup but also crave flavoursome noodles, ramen is the perfect in-between. Although chicken soup is for the soul, ramen will satisfy your stomach and warm your heart. Our “Cook Like a Chef” segment has opened an opportunity for us to explore the wonderful world of ramen and for Asian cuisine, Chef Daniel Bettio, the product development chef at Bin Mirza International who also manages the newly opened wagamama in the country, is an expert on this favourite Asian dish. Our take away to a great ramen? The fragrance A great ramen should awaken your senses primary of which your sense of smell. The ramen, upon sniffing, should make you drool a little and it’s this heavenly fragrance that draws you back. The look Japanese cuisine wouldn’t be Japanese if it’s not for its requirement of precision. And colour is definitely at play for a good ramen. Aside from the fragrance, it should also look good, in fact, the two should come together. The Broth It should have a wholesome tasty clear soup, and if it’s something chili, it should come with a slight tang. Ramen requires a great balance of flavours and a perfectly cooked ramen should come with a chewy, memorable noodle. In the steamy broth, the taste of the different ingredients should mingle but they should still manage to keep their individual unique tastes whether it is the grilled chicken or the sliced steak pieces. If garnished with coriander and slices of onions, they should also come with lemon and this adds that little extra zing to a great ramen. For a signature dish, the chili chicken ramen of Chef Daniel’s restaurant offers all the things one should look for in a ramen. As a bonus, he also shared that ramen is usually prepared fast because everything depends on the freshness. If you are a ramen-die-hard fan, then you know that it’s usually eaten best when it is still hot.