Guides

If you’ve ever made fresh ramen noodles from scratch, you know that kneading the dough is no joke. Unlike pasta dough, ramen dough is stiff, dry, and a serious arm workout—all thanks to kansui (alkaline water), which gives the noodles their signature chewy texture. But did you know there’s a centuries-old Japanese technique that makes kneading easier while improving the texture?

When you think about cooking ramen from scratch, it probably sounds like a huge undertaking—something best left to professional chefs with fancy kitchen setups. And while that’s true for certain types like Tonkotsu Ramen, which requires boiling pork bones for hours to get that rich, creamy broth, other types are actually pretty doable at home!

During my trip to Shinshu, Japan, I had the chance to visit Ishii Miso Factory, and let me tell you—it completely changed the way I think about miso. I always knew miso was a staple in Japanese cooking, but I never realized just how much time, skill, and tradition go into making the really good stuff.