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Slurping Up Ramen-y Goodness With Jay Weinstein

By Sam Slaughter Updated April 21, 2021

how to make ramen bowl — Ruthy Yang

Which new bourbon are we pumped about? What does it take to be a master journeyman? Where are we excited to travel to next? Each week, The Manual Podcast invites an expert, artisan, or craftsman for a roundtable discussion on what’s new, exciting, and unique in their trade.

For this week’s episode of The Manual Podcast, Greg and Sam sit down with chef-educator at the Institute for Culinary Education Jay Weinstein to talk about ramen.

A classic Japanese dish, ramen is a broth with wheat noodles and a variety of other ingredients like char siu pork, a soft-boiled egg, greens, and more. Depending on where you are, Weinstein explains, the broth will differ. What you get in Hokkaido is not what you will get in Tokyo, et cetera.

After an explanation of what ramen is (including a primer on why people pull the noodles out of the bowl when they are first served), Weinstein digs into the cultural phenomenon that is ramen. When did it get popular? Why? How has that popularity changed over time?

Not only does Weinstein explain ramen’s popularity and importance in pop culture, but he also looks at how to properly eat ramen (and some things to do to show the chef your appreciation for his or her work).

Lastly, Weinstein dishes on the best ways to prepare ramen at home if you’ve never done it before. His tips and tricks will set you down the right path to delicious ramen for sure.

Do you love ramen as much as we do? Do you have a favorite style? Do you make your own? Let us know. We want to hear from you. If you ever have a question or comment for The Manual Podcast folks, give us a shout at podcast@themanual.com — we’re always around! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter so you can join the discussion. Don’t forget, too, to rate and review the podcast where you download it.

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