Introduction
Japanese Ramen is all over Singapore.
From the Ippudo to the Takagi-ramen, you can find a Japanese Ramen restaurant in any neighborhood these days. It has become widely accessible.
Great.
However, many Singaporeans don't know that a wide variety of Japanese ramen options out are there.
The Ramen history and culture of Japan are deep and robust. Numerous types of Japanese Ramen exist, and by understanding the different styles one by one, you can enjoy a higher appreciation and experience.
Today we'll dive into one of the most significant branches of Japanese ramen - the Tonkotsu Ramen. This article will cover everything about this delicious food, from its definition, history, how to eat it, and some places you can find Tonkotsu Ramen in Singapore.
What is Tonkotsu Ramen
You can group Japanese ramen into four major categories. "Shoyu" or soy sauce, "Shio" or salt sauce, "Miso or the miso sauce," and the "Tonkotsu" which we are discussing today.
The Japanese term Tonkotsu means pork bones. Tonkotsu ramen is made from pork bone stock and cooked for an extended period at high temperatures to extract a white, thick, creamy, almost milky soup.
This is unique as other ramen broths are made by cooking in low temperatures instead of high temperatures.
Different parts of the pork are used, but the skull, backbone, and joints are the most common as they produce fantastic levels of rich umami. This delicious thick soup is the secret to the delightful taste of Tonkotsu Ramen.
Since Tonkotsu is the name of the stock, it can be combined with different sauces to make ramen soup.
Tonkotsu broth mixed with soy sauce is called "Tonkotsu Shoyu."
When combined with Shio sauce, it becomes "Shio Tonkotsu."
With miso, it becomes "Miso Tonkotsu." These names may look familiar as they are often mentioned on menus.
The stock is mixed with the sauce for Japanese ramen to complete the soup. This is the crucial deciding factor in the taste of the ramen.
Look for these names when you choose your ramen; this will give you a good idea of what the ramen would taste like.
The history of Tonkotsu Ramen
Tonkotsu ramen was initially invented in the Kyushu area of Japan. Kyushu is the southernmost island of the four main islands of Japan, known for its excellent food culture.
In 1947, where it basically was only a ramen stall named "Nankin Senryo" in Kurume town of Fukuoka prefecture, the Tonkotsu stock was accidentally invented.
The pork was mistakenly cooked at a higher temperature than usual. This caused the white and cloudy broth to be created. Instead of throwing this away, the master tried the taste; the rest is history.
In the 1970s, this Tonkotsu ramen spread to different parts of Kyusu with other variations and names. We'll jump into the different types of Tonkotsu ramen next.
Types of Tonkotsu Ramen
The Hakata Ramen
Perhaps the most famous type of Tonkotsu Ramen is the Hakata ramen. Hakata is a major city in Kyushu. The Tonkotsu Ramen in Kurume has migrated and evolved into a taste beloved all over Japan.
Hakata Ramen is characterized by a highly thick, rich soup and thin, straight, hard noodles.
Another characteristic is that there is the "Kaedama" concept. You can essentially get seconds for the noodle. (Usually, the quality of the second noodle won't be as high as the first one)
The Nagahama Ramen
The Hakata ramen was highly influenced by the Nagahama Ramen as its found its current form.
Nagahama is an area right newar Hakata - it's a fisherman district in Fukuoka. Since this area bustles with busy fishermen, the ramen here has evolved to meet their needs.
To keep up with the busy fishermen, the Nagahama ramen elected to go with its skinny form of noodles to decrease cooking time.
The Nagahama ramen is also famous for inventing the "Kaedama," which, introduced along with the Hakata ramen, is getting seconds for the noodle.
The Kurume Ramen
This is the origin of Tonkotsu Ramen, as introduced above. Again, characterized by a rich and powerful soup. The noodles tend to be somewhat thicker than the Hakata or Nagahama ramen.
One uniqueness of the Kurume ramen is that it operates as a continuous soup. For decades, they will keep adding and adding to a grand main pot, creating a truly unique taste that can't be copied.
Kumamoto Ramen
Kumamoto Ramen is ramen found in the Kumamoto City of Kyushu, Japan. While the soup inherits the Tonkotsu style, the toppings are unique. They commonly use burnt or deep-fried garlic chips or garlic oil to add to their taste.
Kagoshima Ramen
Kagoshima Ramen is also Tonkotsu-based ramen. Usually, it will also mix with chicken, kelp, or even vegetable stock.
It doesn't have as strong white and creamy characteristics as the other Tonkotsu Ramen.
Tips on how to eat
Steps to enjoy the bowl of ramen
As the soup is the crucial component of the ramen, try the soup first. Enjoy the smell of the soup, and then take your spoon to drink some.
After this, now you can eat the noodles together with the soup.
Tonkotsu ramen commonly has different additional toppings. Whether red pickled ginger or Takana pickles, these alter the taste significantly. Make sure you don't drop these toppings on at the beginning. These are meant to change the taste of the soup as you eat so you don't get bored of the same taste.
Timing to order the Kaedama
Ordering the Kaedama, or seconds for the noodle, won't come immediately. After all, they must prepare and cook the noodle before serving.
The ramen reduces in taste when the soup cools down, so the trick to enjoying a great Kaedama is to order early.
Order the Kaedama before you finish your first noodle serving. Also, keep some soup left, because you can't add soup!
Show respect by finishing the soup!
Not exactly the healthiest practice, but finishing the soup greatly shows respect to the ramen shop. If you like ramen, you can show respect by drinking the entire soup until the end.
Some Tonkotsu Ramen in Singapore
You can check some of the reviews I've done for Tonkotsu Ramen in Singapore.
Hitoyoshi Ramen and Grill, Mapletree business center (8.6 / 10.0)
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