Make Ramen More Filling By Perfecting This Egg Technique

Though the base of a bowl of ramen is always the same — noodles and broth — the toppings are somewhat up to interpretation, especially if you make the dish at home. Chasu pork, narutomaki, bean sprouts, and scallions are typical, but the ramen egg is perhaps the most-loved ramen topping. It can be a bit tricky to prepare at home, though. Thankfully, there's another way to add an egg to your ramen that makes it easier to both prepare and eat. Stir beaten egg into your hot ramen to make egg ribbons that easily catch onto your noodles and chopsticks and bulk up your soup.

This method of adding eggs to hot broth is the same as what you would use to make egg drop soup. It's not difficult, but there are some tips to help you master it on the first try. To make thick egg ribbons in your soup, beat the egg with a thickening agent like cornstarch and a bit of water. Once your ramen noodles are cooked in the broth, stir the soup in a clockwise swirl enough so that the swirl keeps going even when you stop stirring. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the pot in a thin drizzle as the broth keeps swirling. The egg should cook into long ribbons in the hot liquid.

This egg trick works wonders to elevate packaged or homemade ramen. The secret ingredients for the most flavorful homemade ramen that rivals the packaged stuff include soy sauce and tare, a blend of umami seasonings. A flavor-packed broth is the most essential building block of good ramen; toppings can't save a bland broth. You can choose between shoyu (soy sauce), miso, or tonkotsu (pork) to name a few.

Making authentic ramen eggs involves marinating soft-boiled eggs in a sweet and salty brine made up of ingredients like soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake. If you want to go the extra mile for your homemade ramen, then by all means marinate those eggs. To boil the perfect ramen egg, aim for six to seven minutes for that jammy yolk. Egg and ramen are always a delicious combo, so whether marinated, ribboned, or simply boiled and placed on top of the soup, you'll have yourself a delicious bowl.