Homemade Ramen Recipe

It’s my first time making ramen and I think it worth taking a note.

What’s ramen?

I thought initially it was some flour mixed with egg (white+yolk) to make it yellowish look and chewy texture. No, it’s a dough of flour but mixed with alkaline solution (base solution) This blew my mind when I first read about it Here

This makes sense when you see some authentic ramen uses alkaline water from the lake.

What’s the recipe then?

1. Make the alkaline substance? This post explains the hack. Basically, we bake a baking soda (NaHCO3, sodium bicarbonate) to get Na2CO3 (sodium carbonate). Magiccc! The same way it adds bubble (CO3) to the cake but here we are interested in what is left (NaCO3). Then we use Sodium Carbonate to make base solution.
2. Here’s my take on the original recipe which I think it’s easier to remember.
   • Use flour with high gluten (bread flour)
   • It’s a dough with about 45% hydration
   • Alkaline solution (concentration by total dough weight)
     • 1% w/w of NaCO3
     • 1% w/w of Salt
   • Rest for an hour
   • Shape it using cornflour dust
   • Boil for 1.5min for Katame, 2min for medium

Taste?

Unbelievable!