Ramen Revolution - January 2023
New ramen are on the way! They are ready to keep you warm and full for the cold December nights. Selected and packed in Japan, you’re in for some new experiences and the ultimate Ramen Gyoza combo from Nissin. Prepare your New Year celebration the Japanese way!
Cup Noodle Gyoza Big from Nissin
Allergens: wheat, egg, dairy, pork, chicken, soy, sesame, gelatin Cooking time: 3 minutes The Cup Noodle Big, is the large version of the classic Cup Noodle. It was first released in 1991 and is really popular in Japan. To end the year with a bang, we went straight for the Gyoza-flavored cup; because having ramen together with Gyoza is one of the best flavor combination possible! When you take a sip of the "gravy gyoza-style soup" with the flavor of garlic and Chinese chives, you’ll really taste the umami of the meat. In addition to some delicious meat, the soup is topped with cabbage and chives, which are familiar gyoza ingredients. To make the experience complete, use the Gyoza sauce just before eating, and not right after adding the water, and add yourself a bowl of rice!
Menzukuri Yuzu & Kosho Kaoru Toripaitan from Toyo Suisan
Allergens: wheat, egg, dairy, soy, chicken, pork, gelatin Cooking time: 5 minutes We selected this delicious cup from Toyo Suisan’s Menzukuri series (麺づくり.) It’s pure white chicken soup combined with slightly thick non-fried noodles, bok choy and bamboo shoots. The tori paitan soup (鶏白湯), which has a mild chicken oil aroma, is light and easy to drink. For this version, they made the main ingredients for the taste yuzu and peper (ゆず＆胡椒). Traditionally, yuzu is combined with chili pepper, but this time they used regular pepper for more freshness. For this cup as well, we recommend adding the powder and oil bag about 5 minutes after pouring the hot water, which will allow the flavors to disperse better.
Nissin no Assari Odashi ga Oishii Donbei Agedama Soba from Nissin
Allergens: wheat, buckwheat, egg, dairy, shrimp, pork, chicken, mackerel, soy Cooking time: 3 minutes It’s nice to balance ramen with some lighter noodles, such as those delicious Soba from Nissin. Soba (そば) are buckwheat noodles, and those prepared in this cup are combined with a Kanto-style soup made with two types of bonito stock, Honbonito and Soda Bonito. They feature a wide variety of ingredients such as tempura flakes, eggs, kamaboko, wakame seaweed, and green onions. Soba noodles have a special meaning in Japan when it comes to the new year. On New Year’s Eve, or Ōmisoka (大晦日), it is a custom for the Japanese to reflect on the past year and jump in the coming year, all while enjoying a bowl of hot soba noodles, called Toshikoshi Soba (年越し蕎麦), or year-crossing noodle. What better way to cross over a symbolic bridge than slurping up soba noodles!
Ajiyoka tai Tonkotsu Ramen Hakata from Marutai
Allergens: wheat, egg, dairy, sesame, soy, chicken, pork, gelatin Cooking time: 2 minutes The thin noodles, fried in 100% vegetable oil, go well with the light tonkotsu soup, which is unique to Hakata ramen. Hakata ramen (博多ラーメン) come from the Hakata district in Fukuoka. It has a rich, milky, pork-bone tonkotsu broth (とんこつ) and rather thin, non-curly and resilient noodles. This cup of noodle comes with an original seasoning oil that adds richness and aroma, and should be mixed in with the rest about 2 minutes after the initial addition of hot water for the best flavors. It contains roasted sesame and green onions, which are some of the distinctive toppings for Hakata ramen.
Soup Harusame Hakata Mizutaki fu Yuzu Kosho from Acecook
Allergens: wheat, egg, dairy, sesame, mackerel, soy, chicken, pork Cooking time: 3 minutes Harusame (はるさめ) are a type of glass noodles specific to Japan, and this one is prepared in a Hakata-style (博多). You may start thinking that people living in Fukuoka, and especially in Hakata are very fond of their noodles, and that’s because they are! The noodles have a smooth texture that blends well with the soup. The soup has a chicken soup base, and is complemented by the umami of kelp and bonito stock. Where the real flavor from this cup of noodle comes from is the yuzu peper, which adds some freshness and spiciness and a sense of mizutaki (水炊き), a traditional winter hot pot. The cup is topped with crunchy cabbage, soybean mince, colorful carrots, and green onions.
Cup Star BBQ Chicken Flavor from Sanyo Shokuhin
Allergens: wheat, egg, dairy, squid, sesame, soy, chicken, pork Cooking time: 3 minutes We just had an awesome Batman ramen in our box, and we loved it so much that we got our hands on a second item from this collaboration with Sanyo Shokuhin. This cartoon-based packaging is also in limited edition, and features a delicious BBQ Chicken Flavor (バーベキューチキン味). As soon as you add the ingredients and pour the hot water in your cup, you’ll notice the pleasant grilled chicken aromas. The dish is based on the umami of chicken, flavored vegetables and tomatoes combined with the included sauce. The ingredients are a combination of Batman kamaboko, cabbage, and minced chicken with the Batman mark as a motif.
Maruuma Wantan Chuka Soba from Acecook
Allergens: wheat, egg, dairy, sesame, soy, chicken, pork Cooking time: 3 minutes Finally, Acecook released a new item in their Maruuma series (まる旨), and it doesn’t disappoint! The Chinese style soba (中華そば) and the fragrant soup stock are delicious! The noodles have a round edge, are quite elastic and very smooth. Together with the rich soy sauce soup based on a chicken and pork broth with dried bonito flakes, it’s a nice winter cup. Finished with filling wontons (ワンタン), eggs, and green onions, it’s a satisfying cup to eat for lunch or dinner!
