Update and Homemade Ramen Noodle Recipe

Tonkotsu pork ramen topped with chashu pork and mayu, a black garlic oil

Hi everyone! I apologize for my long hiatus. I've been posting occasionally on kaoricooks.com, but realized that my heart is really with this blog, my original baby.

I'm now student teaching as a high school English teacher! That, and juggling cooking classes and testing ramen recipes for a Japanese restaurant. So, I won't be blogging often, but after a friend today commented on one of my posts, I realized that I miss blogging, miss writing about food, and miss inundating y'all with tasty food pictures! And, I realized that people actually read my blog! Hooray!! If you keep these comments going, then I will keep the posts going ;)!

I'm pretty psyched about testing out ramen recipes. Right now my main task is Tonkotsu Ramen, and I'm getting there, with the help of a wonderful friend. This last monday I finally achieved the milky color and consistency I was aiming for! VICTORY. But not yet, the flavor's gotta be there too.

I'm enjoying student teaching- 3 freshmen classes and 2 junior/senior classes. Teaching is actually a lot of work!! And most of it goes into planning a lesson, making hand outs, and grading. You really do not know what your teachers went through to educate you, until you step into their shoes. I am eternally grateful. I hope I can be one of those teachers that students remember in the future :) and think on fondly.

Ok, now it's time to expose you to another slew of food pictures, and down below you will find a delicious homemade ramen noodles recipe, way better than any store-bought noodles!!!! I mean it.

Here are some pictures of recent ramen-makings and ramen classes. Enjoy!

Shoyu Ramen! Picture by good friend and photographer Shino Takahashi (shinotakahashi.com)

A fresh batch of homemade ramen noodles! Ready for the boil!

Shoyu ramen, influenced from Momofuku recipe

My mom's Shoyu Ramen recipe, passed down from my grandmother

The Shin Yokohama Raumen Museum in Japan

More fresh ramen noodles

Ingredients for a ramen class I taught

SLURP

Product of the first ramen class I taught

Homemade Ramen Noodles Recipe

(from Chef Marc’s Norecipes.com)

Ramen Noodles:

Ingredients:

Noodles: 

(makes enough noodles for 4 bowls)
300 grams bread flour (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon Koon Chun Potassium Carbonate & Sodium Bi-Carbonate (kansui)

Method:

• Make the noodles. Combine the kansui and warm water. Place kansui-water mixture and flour into a standing mixer with a paddle attachment and mix on low for 5 minutes

• Knead dough by hand for several minutes and then let rest

• Flatten noodles with an attachment or hand-crank to the “4” setting, or however thick you would like it.

• Or use a rolling pin to roll until very thin

• using spaghetti pasta cutter attachment, slice dough into noodles, or cut by hand, and cook in boiling water until they float to the top

• Drain noodles under cold water

• Place noodles in a bowl and fill with ramen broth. Finish off the bowl with ramen toppings, i.e. chashu pork (I have a recipe for this, too!), sliced green onions, naruto fish cake, etc...