Made in Australia the Japanese way from Australian wheat, Hakubaku has a range of organic noodles including ramen, udon and soba that are perfect for cooking at home. Based in Ballarat Victoria, the Japanese noodle brand is renowned for its quality and authentic products that’ll help you create tasty dishes at home. Check them out on Instagram.
A classic bowl of ramen – rich, umami-laden broth, chewy noodles and succulent pork, topped with a gooey soft boiled egg and a sprinkle of fresh green onion – is soul food in a bowl. Perfect when it’s chilly outside, or alongside your favourite ice-cold beer, the Japanese noodle dish is the equivalent of a big hug from mum.
Ramen at first glance may not look overly complex to make. Though the reality is that mastering good ramen is a true art form. That’s where Hakubaku comes in. Made in Australia the Japanese way from Australian wheat, Hakubaku has a range of organic noodles including ramen, udon and soba that are perfect for cooking at home.
To get a professional perspective on ramen we spoke to Terry Jeon, executive chef at RaRa Ramen, to get the lowdown.
RaRa Ramen was opened in Redfern, Sydney back in 2018 by ramen fans Scott Gault and Katie Shortland. “They’re doing a better job than most of emulating the kind of high-turnover ramen restaurant you’ll find in every corner of Tokyo,” wrote Time Out’s reviewer at the time, praising the “clean and almost sweet in flavour of the broth”. Nowadays the chain now boasts three Sydney ramen shops plus one on the Gold Coast.
Photograph: RaRa Ramen | Scott & Terry
Meanwhile, after over a decade cooking western cuisine, Terry Jeon wanted to change direction. He dedicated his time between shifts to studying ramen and making it at home and perfecting his craft. This commitment landed him a job at RaRa Ramen, and today he’s now the executive chef.
There’s many things to love about ramen, but for Terry it all comes down to how it makes him feel.
“The biggest reason I love ramen is it takes a lot of time and effort to make an authentic bowl,” he says. “When all the elements come together, it creates a fantastic flavour harmony, giving me gratification as a chef, and also happiness and satisfaction as an eater.”
When it comes to making ramen, there are three main elements you need to nail. The broth, the toppings, and the noodles. Let’s be honest, few people have the time to make ramen noodles from scratch. If you’re anything like us, you’re looking for time savers in the kitchen that deliver on quality, authenticity and taste.
Terry says the biggest difference between ramen, soba and udon noodles is flavour.
Photograph: RaRa Ramen
“Soba noodles contain buckwheat, whereas ramen and udon are made with wheat flour. Soba noodles have a nutty and rich flavour while udon and ramen noodles have a light flavour. Although udon and ramen noodles are made with the same type of flour, udon noodles are usually cut thick and ramen noodles are thinner.
“Ramen noodles are also made with kansui, which is an alkaline substance, giving them a distinctively springy and slippery texture.”
Ramen noodles are made with kansui, which is an alkaline substance, giving them a distinctively springy and slippery texture
Now we’ve got the noodles down pat, let’s talk about making ramen at home. Though just a heads up, the process will take you a while, but Terry promises the end result will be worth it.
First things first. Terry says the broth of tonkotsu – pork bone broth – takes days, so if you’re just starting out he recommends attempting a clear chicken broth at home. Terry says to buy some chicken carcasses and chicken feet, clean them up and throw in a big pot. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Once it’s boiling, skim the scums. Turn down the heat to very low (just steaming, not even simmering as it will make your soup darker). Terry says you want to create the flavour slowly and make a clean broth. Ideally keep the broth at 90°C).
Photograph: RaRa Ramen | Terry Jeon
After five hours, come back and add some aromatics such as garlic, onion, ginger and shallot. You can add some dried anchovies (niboshi), kombu or shiitake at this stage to boost umami. Keep cooking for an hour, and gently strain.
“Ramen shops use tare sauce to season the broth, which contains dashi, soy sauce, salt, sugar and vinegar. As this is home cooking, you can just use good quality soy sauce and some salt to season. If the broth is good, it will still be delicious! Lastly, top with some pork belly, soft boiled egg and veggies.”
Though at the end of the day, Terry adds that the most important thing when making ramen at home is love and care.
“As ramen has lots of elements that take a long time to prepare, each element needs to be treated well. The five elements of authentic ramen are broth, noodles, tare (sauce), toppings and fat (aroma oil). If you don't take shortcuts, and make all the elements with love and care, I believe anyone can make a great bowl of ramen.”
