In recent years, the number of ramen shops serving wine has been on the rise.
When it comes to drinking alcohol at a ramen shop, starting with beer and gyoza before finishing with ramen is the classic route.
As such, there may not be many people who picture wine in that setting.
However, around the world there is a growing recognition that "wine goes well with ramen," and we often see articles introducing these pairing techniques.
This time, we introduce simple recipes you can make at home based on the theme of "Wine x Ramen." Created by culinary expert Kinuko Oda, these ramen shop-style dishes are designed to pair with Koshu.
Does Wine Go Well with Ramen?
Ramen is a staple food for Japanese people.
On its own, it allows you to take in various nutrients such as vegetables, meat, seafood, and carbohydrates, and because of its volume, a single bowl provides a fully satisfying sense of fullness.
In addition, many people probably enjoy pairing beer with gyoza or snack toppings before eating their ramen.
Amidst this, ramen shops that feature wine on their lists, including shops serving Western-style ramen, have begun to catch people's attention.
In fact, rather than viewing ramen as a staple food (something to fill your stomach with heavy carbohydrates), if you see it as a soup dish containing noodles made from wheat flour, imagining wine pairings might become much easier.
Doesn't it become easier to envision the pairing when you think of matching the wine to the soup's flavor, acidity, texture, spices, and toppings?
When matching ramen soups with wines that complement them, the following pairings can be envisioned:
- Shio (salt) ramen x Dry white wine or sparkling wine
- Shoyu (soy sauce) ramen x Light red wine, or one with earthy notes
- Tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen x Sparkling wine
- Miso ramen x Aged wine, full-bodied white wine
On the other hand, for those who feel that pairing ramen soup with wine seems too difficult after all, or worry that seafood-based broths might clash with wine, there is the approach of mixed noodles (mazemen).
Just like pairing wine with pasta, mixed noodles prepared with Japanese nuances while moderately leaning toward Western style might be easy to try.
Furthermore, rice bowls (donburi) are another popular menu item at ramen shops.
Combos pairing ramen with small bowls such as chashu pork rice bowls or braised pork belly rice bowls are also very appealing.
With rice bowls, imagining wine pairings should also be quite simple.
With all this in mind, we propose wine and ramen pairings.
Pairing Koshu with Mixed Noodles and Sea Bream Rice Bowl
This time, we introduce ramen shop-style wine pairing recipes that can be made at home.
We pair them with a sur lie-type Koshu wine that offers refreshing citrus aromas, a gentle effervescence, umami, and richness.
Created by Kinuko Oda, these are recipes for mixed noodles that pair with Koshu and a rice bowl using sea bream.
Steamed Chicken and Kabosu Kombu Tossed Noodles
- Ingredients (Serves 2)
Chicken thigh: 1 piece
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Sugar: 1 tsp
Sake: 1 tbsp
Teri-tube grated ginger: 1–2 cm
Shio-kombu (salted kelp): 2 tbsp
Thinly sliced sudachi: 6 slices
Shiso leaves: 2 leaves
Long green onion: 5 cm (finely shredded into white curls)
Chinese noodles: 2 portions
A
Olive oil: 2 tbsp
Kombucha powder: 1 tsp
Soy sauce: 1 tsp
Squeezed sudachi juice: from 1–2 pieces
Tube grated garlic: 1 tsp
- Instructions
- Pierce the chicken thigh in several places with a fork, and rub in the salt, sugar, sake, and tube grated ginger. Place in a heatproof dish, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave at 600W for 3 minutes. Turn over and heat for another 2 minutes until cooked through.
- Boil the Chinese noodles according to the package directions, and briefly rinse and tighten them with cold water.
- Mix ingredients A together, toss with the noodles from step 2, and serve in bowls. Top with the sliced chicken from step 1, salted kelp, sudachi, torn shiso leaves, and shredded white green onion.
- Point
Pair Koshu with tossed noodles. Steamed chicken, salted kelp, and sudachi are used. Kabosu can also be used as a substitute. The noodles are tossed with olive oil and kombucha powder, with squeezed sudachi juice adding a citrus aroma. A soy sauce-based tossed noodle dish with a hint of garlic, this recipe brings together Japanese and Western styles.
- Pairing
The citrus nuances match the aroma of the Koshu. The mellow fat of the olive oil harmonizes with the umami of Koshu, while that fat is refreshed by Koshu's acidity. The bitterness of the shiso leaves and the bitterness of Koshu, along with the delicate flavor of the steamed chicken, also match well, creating a sophisticated pairing.
Sea Bream Salt Lemon Miso Bowl
- Ingredients (Serves 2)
Sea bream sashimi: 80 g
Salt lemon: 2 tsp
Miso: 1/2 tbsp
Mirin: 1/2 tbsp
Leaf lettuce: 2 leaves
Alfalfa sprouts: appropriate amount
Cooked rice: 2 servings
- Instructions
- Mix together the salt lemon, miso, and mirin, then add to the thinly sliced sea bream sashimi and toss to coat.
- Place cooked rice in bowls, top with bite-sized torn leaf lettuce and alfalfa sprouts, arrange the fish from step 1 on top, and sprinkle with grated lemon zest.
- Point
Sea bream sashimi is adapted into a seafood bowl style. It is tossed with salt lemon, miso, and mirin. Lemon zest is grated over it with an eye toward affinity with Koshu. Drizzle with soy sauce to taste.
- Pairing
The lemon zest and Koshu first bring balance to the whole dish. The addition of salt lemon creates an impression of adding minerality to the wine, while the green nuances of the leaf lettuce and the umami of the sea bream harmonize with the umami of Koshu. The miso is also finished with a refreshing taste, making this a pairing that encourages you to enjoy it not only with Koshu, but also with Sauvignon Blanc.
Summary
Ramen and wine may be difficult to picture together, but depending on your choices, they actually exhibit an outstanding affinity.
Serving it as tossed noodles makes it easier to pair with wine, making it highly recommended for those trying a ramen and wine pairing for the first time.
Taking good advantage of citrus, please start first with refreshing white wines such as Koshu.
Reference
Culinary Expert / Molecular Nutrition Advisor
Olive Oil Sommelier
Kinuko Oda
As a culinary expert and olive oil sommelier, she has developed numerous tapas and home-cooked recipes that bring out the distinct character of wine.
Currently, she focuses on small-group events pairing wine and tapas.
Valuing "being truly delicious and easily reproducible at home over difficult theories," she conveys ways to enjoy wine using accessible language for beginners.
In addition, drawing on molecular nutrition, she has an established reputation for "culinary ideas that care for the body while enjoying wine," offering proposals for adult generations toward "wine time that lightens both mind and body."
★Cooking Class Announcement