Hakodate Salt Ramen (Shio Rāmen)
塩ラーメン Shio rāmenSay it: shee-oh RAH-men
Shio ramen is a Japanese noodle soup built on a clear, pale-gold chicken-and-pork broth seasoned with a salt-based tare. In Hakodate, on Hokkaidō, it is a local specialty often served with springy wheat noodles, sliced chashu, bamboo shoots, nori, and fish cake. The taste is clean and savory rather than heavy: gentle salt, seaweed and dried-shiitake depth, and a light pork richness. It is eaten year-round, especially at ramen shops, and is prized for letting the broth's clarity shine.
Hakodate Salt Ramen (Shio Rāmen)
塩ラーメン, Shio rāmen
Pronounced shee-oh RAH-men
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, soy, fish. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Broth and pork
Salt tare
To serve
Method
Put the chicken stock, kombu, and dried shiitake in a large pot and let stand for 20 minutes so the kombu and mushrooms soften and flavor the stock.
Set the pot over medium-low heat and warm until small bubbles form at the edges, about 176°F (80°C); remove the kombu before the liquid boils. Add the pork belly, garlic, ginger, and scallion whites, bring to a bare simmer, and skim off the foam. Cook gently for 35-40 minutes, until the pork is tender when pierced with a knife and the broth is fragrant, keeping the broth below a boil.
Lift the pork from the broth and let it rest until cool enough to handle, then slice it thinly. Strain the broth through a fine sieve, discard the solids, return the broth to the pot, and keep it hot over low heat.
Make the tare. in a small saucepan, bring the sake and mirin to a simmer for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Stir in the salt and soy sauce until fully dissolved; let cool slightly.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and cook the ramen noodles according to the package directions, until just tender with a slight bite, about 2-3 minutes for fresh noodles. Drain well and shake off excess water.
Warm four deep bowls. For each bowl, add about 1 tbsp (15 ml) tare and 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) hot broth; taste and adjust with a little more tare or broth.
Divide the noodles among the bowls and lift them gently with chopsticks so they are coated in broth. Top with sliced pork, menma, nori, kamaboko, and the reserved scallion greens.
Serve immediately, while the broth is steaming and the noodles are springy.
Regional variants
Some Hokkaidō shops add dried scallop or a little clam juice to the salt tare for extra sweetness, while others offer extra menma or a seasoned egg as a topping.
Cook's notes
- Keep the broth below a boil after removing the kombu and skim it often so it stays clear.
- Chicken stock salt levels vary, so taste the tare and the finished broth before seasoning all four bowls.
- Fresh ramen noodles give the best texture; if using dried, cook just until al dente and do not rinse.
Serve with
Serve immediately, with gyoza or a small bowl of rice on the side.
Make ahead and storage
Broth and tare can be refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat gently and cook noodles fresh.
