Lesson Report: 4-day Private Ramen Course
Nov 25, 2023
This is where we had our 4-day Private Ramen Course – Tombo, which strives to make ‘aburasoba’ (soupless ramen) a local specialty of Heiwajima, Tokyo.
The instructor for our Ramen Course is Teru, the head chef of Tombo. Student Tom and Instructor Teru developed a comfortable rapport on the first day, and they couldn’t wait to begin the enjoyable lessons!
Now, let’s start with the preparation of the soup. First, we crushed pork bones. Which method was easier for crushing them: hammering or drilling? Anyway, that was a simple but very important process to extract the essence from the pork bones.
In parallel with the preparation of ‘tonkotsu’ (pork bone) soup, we also prepared a miso paste. This process involved meticulous work, including peeling and cutting a variety of gingers and garlics.
By mixing the miso paste with other ingredients, we prepared a miso-flavored sauce. Tom learned the key points in detail and eagerly asked the instructor many questions.
Immediately after cooking a ‘tonkotsu’ soup, we had to diligently remove scum. If we take the time to simmer the pork bones, more flavorful essence is extracted from them. As a result, the soup will turn whitish and creamy.
Thorough preparation is required to achieve delicious ramen.
The lessons were not only informative but also fun! Tom, Teru, and Interpreter Mr. Yoichiro happily posed for a photo. They enjoyed chatting with each other during a break.
Tom dropped by the small grocery store next to Tombo during a break. Vegetables in Japan are so fresh. After that, the first day concluded with the preparation of a soy-flavored sauce, tender chashu (braised pork belly), and seasoned eggs for the ramen we would craft the next day.
Day 2 started with the preparation of a fish soup stock. We looked forward to seeing what the ramen would taste like as a result of the fish soup stock in harmony with the ‘tonkotsu’ soup and the miso-flavored sauce we had prepared on the previous day.
We also checked the chashu we had prepared on the previous day.
The chashu looked very appetizing when finished. Then, we sliced it into the right size for customers to savor, which is also a crucial step.
The seasoned eggs also looked so delicious.
Another key element to enhance ramen is toppings. What to add on top of ramen, what the right size is to eat, and other factors have to be carefully considered. What is taught in the lesson is just one idea. Therefore, it is necessary to make adjustments based on the cultural climate of the student’s country and the preferences of customers.
Before creating the special ramen of the day, the instructor explained about the noodles we would use. We should carefully select noodles depending on the soup so that the noodles will be well-coated with the soup. In the lesson, we used thin, wavy noodles. Tom also showed such a keen interest in noodles that he asked the instructor many questions again.
Then, we began crafting the ‘Tonkotsu & Gyokai Miso Ramen’ that we would actually serve to customers on that day. It was the ‘Today’s Special’ at Tombo, featuring a soup crafted by harmonizing pork bone stock with that of dried baby sardines and kelp. We blended the ‘tonkotsu’ soup, miso-flavored sauce, and fish soup stock together. The taste of the soup varies according to the ratio of each ingredient.
In addition, we pan-fried bean sprouts and Chinese chives, which were also toppings for Today’s Special. That was a very important process because we had to start pan-frying them at the right time after receiving an order but before the noodles were boiled.
Once Tom placed the toppings on the ramen, Today’s Special was ready to serve!! He was so satisfied with the ramen he crafted that he looked very happy. He tasted it and liked it very much! In fact, since we received a lot of orders for Today’s Special, he was very busy preparing it, but he seemed to take pleasure in serving the ramen to the customers.
The Ramen Course offered by Frontier Zipang Washoku Class provides students not only with ramen lessons but also with an opportunity to learn the actual operation of a restaurant and gain valuable experience in serving ramen to customers!
On Day 3, the Today’s Special was ‘Tonkotsu & Gyokai Soy-flavored Ramen’ with fried rice. One benefit of taking the Ramen Course at Frontier Zipang Washoku Class is that you can master a variety of ramen and side dishes. The first side dish was fried rice. Frying rice until it’s loose and crumbly is quite challenging, and making delicious fried rice requires experience and skills since it has to be cooked expertly and quickly. Tom is a professional chef, but he got hasty because he had to cook it quickly. Consequently, he seemed to struggle with cooking the fried rice. However, the one he prepared was very delicious.
The other side dish on the menu was gyoza. What is challenging is the wrapping technique and the method of pan-frying the gyoza. The taste and style of gyoza can vary from one restaurant to another. Therefore, please engage in plenty of practice and conduct numerous trials and errors, and you will be able to create your own style of gyoza.
Furthermore, you can customize the presentation of gyoza. In the lesson, Tom learned about gyoza served in the soup we prepared for the ramen.
Day 4 marks the conclusion of the 4-Day Private Ramen Course. On this final day, Tom explored yet another enticing ramen variety known as ‘tsukemen’—a distinctive spin on traditional ramen, where noodles are served alongside a flavorful dipping sauce. The Today’s Special featured a tempting Miso-flavored ‘tsukemen.’ The lesson kicked off with the preparation of the various toppings used in ‘tsukemen.’
He felt great satisfaction in discovering how we can create various ramen variations, and he was amazed by the fact that ramen remains incredibly flavorful even when the noodles and the soup are served separately.
Time flies like an arrow. Thanks to Tom’s aspirations, enthusiasm, and great personality, the lessons were always filled with fun and laughter. Although it was a brief period, we sincerely hope that the four days Tom spent with us at Tombo were very productive and fruitful.
