Ramen is a Japanese dish of noodles and broth originating in China .

Ramen has a variety of toppings such as sliced pork, seaweed, kamaboko, green onions and even corn. Almost every locality, or "prefecture," in Japan has its own variation of ramen, from the tonkotsu ramen of Kyushu to the miso ramen of Hokkaido .

Outside of Japan , "ramen" most commonly refers to instant ramen, most famously the Sapporo Ichiban, Maruchan "Instant Lunch", and Nissin "Cup Noodles" and "Top Ramen" brands.

A number of North American supermarkets also have their own generic ramen. Despite some health concerns detailed below, instant ramen is a diet staple of university students as well as individuals on a budget; as of 2006, one packet could be bought for US$0.10 or less. Instant ramen is resistant to spoilage and can be easily prepared with boiling water, making it a favorite of backpackers and travelers in conditions offering few technological conveniences.

products, played a large role in ramen becoming popular. Thoughof Chinese origin, it is unclear when, from where and by whom ramen was introduced to Japan . Even the etymology of the term "ramen" is a topic of debate. One hypothesis is that "ramen" is the Japanese pronunciation of lamian, meaning "hand-pulled noodles." A second hypothesis proposes "laomian", "old noodles" as the original form, while yet another states that ramen was initially lumian, noodles cooked in a thick, starchy sauce. Finally, others peg Cantonese: Lo mein, Mandarin: lāo miàn, meaning "stirred noodles," as the origin of "ramen."

(There are also anecdotal origins: one story purports that the name was originally liumian, meaning "Liu's noodle," with Liu being the cook who ostensibly popularized the dish.)

In the early Meiji period, ramen was called shina soba, literally "Chinese soba" but today chūka soba, also meaning "Chinese soba" is the more politically correct alternative. By 1900, restaurants serving Chinese cuisine from Canton and Shanghai sold a simple ramen dish of noodles (cut rather than hand pulled), a few toppings, and a broth flavored with salt and pork bones. Many Chinese also pulled portable food stalls and sold ramen and gyōza dumplings to workers. By the mid 1900s, these stalls were using a type of a musical horn called a charumera, from the Portuguese charamela) to advertise their presence, a practice some vendors still retain via a loudspeaker and a looped recording. By the early Shōwa period, ramen had become a popular dish when eating out.

After World War II, cheap flour imported from the U.S. swept the Japanese market. At the same time, millions of Japanese troops had returned from China and continental East Asia . Many of these returnees had become familiar with Chinese cuisine, and subsequently set up Chinese restaurants all across Japan . Eating ramen, while popular, was still a special occasion that required going out.

In 1958, instant noodles were invented by Momofuku Ando, the founder and chairman of Nissin Foods. Named the greatest Japanese invention of the 20th century in a Japanese poll, instant ramen allowed anyone to create this noodle dish simply by boiling water. Beginning in the 1980s, ramen became a Japanese cultural icon and was studied from many perspectives. At the same time, many local varieties of ramen hit the national market and ramen could be ordered by their geographical names.

Types
A wide variety of ramen exists, differing from location to location even when sold under the same name. They can be categorized by the type of ingredients: noodle, soup and topping.

Noodle
Most ramen noodles are made from four basic ingredients: wheat flour, salt, water and kansui. Originally, kansui was water from Inner Mongolia 's Lake Kan , which contains large amounts of potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate as well as a small amount of phosphoric acid. Making noodles with kansui lends them a yellowish hue as well as a particular flavor. For a brief time after World War II, low-quality kansui that was tainted or thinned with water was sold, though kansui is now manufactured according to JAS standards. Eggs may also be substituted for kansui. Some ramen noodles are made with neither eggs nor kansui, and should only be used for yakisoba.

Ramen noodles come in various shapes and lengths. They may be fat, thin, or even ribbon-like, as well as straight or wrinkled. According to Nissin, there are five traditional types of noodles: "hand-stretched noodle," "oiled and stick-stretched noodle," "cut noodle," "pushed noodle" and "rice noodle."

Soup
Ramen soup is generally divided into four flavors (though these are sometimes mixed together to produce new, original variations): miso, shio, shoyu and tonkotsu. The shio ("salt") flavor is probably the oldest of the four and, like the

 Chinese maotang is a simple chicken broth. The tonkotsu ("pork bone") flavor is similar to the Chinese baitang and is a thick broth made with crushed pork bones that have been boiled for hours. It is a specialty of Kyūshū . The shoyu ("soy sauce") flavor is similar to that of shio ramen, but instead of chicken broth, the stock may be made from konbu (kelp), katsuobushi (fish flakes) and niboshi (dried baby sardines). Miso ramen is a relative newcomer, having reached national prominence around 1965. This uniquely Japanese ramen, which was developed in Hokkaido , features a broth that combines chicken stock with a fermented soybean paste.

Some seasonings commonly added to ramen are black pepper, butter, chile pepper, five-spice powder, garlic, gochujang (from Korean cuisine), sake, vinegar and wine. Soup recipes and methods of preparation are a closely guarded secret in many restaurants.  

Toppings
Ramen can be topped with any number of ingredients, such as a raw or boiled egg, menma (fermented and pickled young bamboo), kamaboko, nori, spinach, negi (welsh onion), shiitake or chāshū (char siu or: traditionally a barbecued pork but usually a thinly sliced boiled pork when used as a ramen topping). In most cases, toppings are added after having been already boiled or fried so as to not change the flavor of the soup.

Related dishes
Many ramen restaurants also serve gyoza, fried rice, shumai and similar Chinese-derived dishes, which customers frequently order along with ramen. Combinations such as ramen and rice and even kimchi ramen are quite popular.

ramen for an entire year. Ramen broth, especially that of instant ramen, contains monosodium glutamate (MSG) and a high amount of sodium, usually in excess of 60% of the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance. The noodles themselves contain little sodium, so one can avoid drinking the soup or use less of the seasoning package if a low-sodium diet is recommended for health reasons.

The most recent controversy surrounds dioxin and other hormone-like substances that could theoretically be extracted from the packaging and glues used to pack the instant noodles. As hot water is added, it was reasoned that harmful substances could seep into the soup. After a series of studies were conducted, this concern was found to be baseless.

Ramen worldwide
Ramen has become a popular food in many parts of the world, though it has undergone changes in flavor to fit local tastes. Outside Japan, China is the largest consumer of ramen, with Indonesia coming in second.

In China
Modern Chinese ramen is called Lo mein ( Mandarin: lā miàn). China is the world's second largest consumer of ramen ( Japan being the first), and both raw and instant Chinese-style ramen noodles are exported throughout Asia and North America.

In Germany
Instant ramen was relatively unknown in Germany until the 1990's, but is gaining in popularity since then. There are two types of ramen in Germany. The first one, generally called Instant-Nudeln (instant noodles), is a usually mild westernized version which comes in a variety of flavors such as chicken, vegetable, beef, and button mushroom. This type of German ramen is comparable in taste to North American instant ramen. The second type of ramen in Germany is a version which is quite similar to traditional Asian ramen. Generally only this Asian style ramen is actually called Ramen in Germany. Originally it was considered a type of ethnic food and was only available in specialty stores, however, since the mid 1990's it's available in most German supermarkets (with the exception of Aldi and Lidl stores where ramen is generally not available) and is usually found in the instant food aisle. The most popular brands in Germany are Nissin Cup Noodles, Maggi by Nestle and Yum Yum.

In Malaysia
Ramen is more commonly known as instant noodles in this region. The most popular brand is Maggi by Nestle, and is often synonymous with instant noodles. Flavours are more oriented toward local flavors, such as chicken, curry, Tom Yam, and Assam Laksa. Besides soup-based ramen, there are also dry-type instant noodles.

Though Maggi instant noodles are usually eaten at home, some Malaysians choose to order a meal of it when eating outside. These meals are usually modified according to the chef's taste and include a minimum of MSG.

In Mexico
Instant ramen is gaining in popularity in Mexico, where it is often seen as an American food and enjoyed in typical "southwestern" flavors such as lime or chili, often combined with shrimp. These flavors are available in the United States, particularly in areas with Mexican and Mexican-American populations, and were probably introduced by migrant workers returning home.

In North America
North American instant ramen comes in a variety of flavors and is usually mild, as opposed to traditional Asian ramen, which is generally flavored with vegetables. Popular flavors in the U.S. include chicken, chicken vegetable, pork, beef, creamy chicken, mushroom, shrimp, roast chicken, and roast pork. Other flavors like shoyu and miso are usually available at Asian supermarkets and convenience stores or generally in cities with large Asian communities

In Russia
Russia's most popular instant ramen, the Korean brand Dosirac, is produced in Ramenskoye, which at first glance appears to mean "the ramen place." However, ramen is actually an obsolete Russian word for chamomile, and the town of Ramenskoye was so named long before ramen production started there.

In South Korea
South Korean ramen (or ramyeon,) is typically spicy, and only instant ramen is known. Shin ( literally "spicy," a play on words meaning both "spicy ramen" and, in the Seoul dialect, "noodles of Shilla") is one of the most popular brands in Korea. It has also become popular in China and the United States. The leading manufacturer of ramen in Korea is the Nong Shim company, which exports many of its products overseas. In the 1960s, instant ramen was introduced to South Korea from Japan, and its quick and easy preparation, as well as its cheap price, made it soon catch on. Most South Korean food stalls make instant ramen and add toppings for their customers. Instant ramen also tends to be added to budaejjigae (literally "boot-camp stew"), a stew made with assorted ingredients which was invented in the 1950s in the vicinity of U.S. military camps stationed in South Korea.

In pop culture
Instant ramen is half-jokingly referred to as a staple food of the typical college student. As noted above, a package of ramen is incredibly cheap for the amount of food it contains. Its low cost, combined with the stereotype of it being a staple of the not-so-well-to-do, has caused instant ramen to be referred to as "Purina student chow," "ghetto noodles" and even "crackhead soup."

The comedy film Tampopo, directed by Juzo Itami, has as its main plot thread a woman's quest to create the perfect ramen shop.

During the 2004 U.S. presidential election campaign, filmmaker Michael Moore visited colleges on his "Slacker Uprising Tour" and gave instant ramen and clean underwear to students who promised to vote. This resulted in a short-lived controversy, with the Republican Party accusing him of trying to buy votes.

The parody religion of Flying Spaghetti Monsterism uses the word "ramen" to end its prayers. It is also used when sending a message to sign it.

Long-distance backpackers, often referred to as "through-hikers," enjoy many variations on ramen, since it is lightweight and dense in food energy. A favorite on the Appalachian Trail is an admixture of ramen and instant potatoes.

Instant ramen is also well known in the North American otaku culture as the most commonly consumed food, alongside ramune, for convention-goers. This is especially true for cup ramen, as all that is needed to prepare it is hot water.

The record label, Fueled By Ramen, was named after ramen noodles.

In the T.V. series Naruto (Anime) The main Character always eats Ramen. He says that his hobby is eating Ramen, He likes Ramen, and he dislikes the 3 minutes it takes to prepare the cup ramen.