Making homemade ramen noodles is surprisingly challenging and totally worth it
A light dusting of cornstarch prevents homemade noodles from sticking together while resting in the refrigerator. Get the recipe for Handmade Ramen Noodles (Hugh Amano/)This story originally featured on Saveur.“Noodles—like bread, or golf, or love—aren’t something to learn in one shot.”This is chef Hugh Amano’s advice as we dive into the process of ramen making. Ramen dough is much drier than eggy pasta dough, requiring both muscle and patience to bring it together. Why? Here’s where things get a little technical: The mix includes high-gluten bread flour combined with a dash of whole wheat, both of which absorb a lot of water. The recipe’s hydration rate (weight of water compared to weight of flour), however, is just 40 percent. And to further strengthen the gluten—and to make this the alkaline noodle that is real ramen—a kicker dose of something called kansui, a mixture of potassium and sodium carbonates, is added....