Located on the Kyushu island, Fukuoka Prefecture was perfectly placed to become the noodle capital of Japan. For centuries, Kyushu has been the point of contact between Japan and the rest of the world, including the inventors of ramen: China.
Tonkotsu ramen is a deliciously creamy pork bone broth, traditionally served with long, thin noodles and topped with a variety of ingredients. In Japanese, the word "ton" means "pork" and "kotsu" means "bone". Pork bones are cooked for hours over high heat so that collagen contained in bones has time to transform into gelatin. This broth is also rich in minerals, as bone marrow and fat release all the good stuff.
This soup has a silky, creamy texture and a cloudy color. This version of ramen comes from the town of Kurume, south of Fukuoka in Japan. Kurume tonkotsu ramen is the original version and remains one of the world's favorite ramen dishes. Tonkotsu ramen could be the epitome of umami, often referred to as the "fifth taste" - a combination of saltiness, richness and sweetness. Broth is often described as coating mouth and tongue, giving the eater a specific type of mouthfeel that is almost indulgent.
Version we present is 100% vegan. You'll be surprised at how similar flavors are to those of the original version.
In terms of garnish, these ramen are generally accompanied by chashu (pork shoulder or belly braised in mirin and soy sauce), creamy egg yolk, sesame seeds, spring onion, menma (fermented bamboo shoots), and sometimes crunchy bean sprouts.
Place ramen noodles in 550 ml boiling water and cook for approx. 3 min. Drain ramen. In a ramen bowl, mix the concentrated soup with 300 ml boiling water. Add the drained ramen and enjoy after adding your favorite side dishes (chashu, eggs, vegetables, menma...).
