FlyerTalk Forums - Why is Ramen so Popular in the US?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by braslvr (Post 18370145)

I'm sorry, but I don't believe that. Neither did any of our team, and we were there for months. There was a fermented soybean soup that was adequately salted, and strips of nori seaweed occasionally which we fought over. I can't remember anything else that had even close to enough salt. Plenty of sugar though. Perhaps our hosts never selected saltier dishes when ordering, but that seems doubtful out of hundreds of meals. Japanese food in Japan is fine. No comparison.

My mom (she is Korean) would tell you that Korea tends to use a lot of salt. As nycflyer states, it is often masked with other flavors (since Korean food can often come with its strong flavors/smells), or it is prepared ahead of time (in the marinade, during cooking). Take kimchi alone, do you think you really taste the salt in it? Yet, when making kimchi, it is usually prepared with alot of salt. Last time I made kimchi with my mom, we used a couple cups of salt easily.

I just attribute the fact you didn't taste the salt to the fact that the food was delicious ! hahaha

as far as ramen, if you're in the U.S., +10 to NongShim Spicy ramen. Heck, even when I go to Korea, I always bring a pack of NongShim Ramen back with me. Only thing is I don't often like the extra vege packet (I despise mushrooms).

edited:

Quote:

Originally Posted by braslvr (Post 18373555)

The soup was Doenjang Jjigae, not like miso at all. It was one of my favorite dishes there. We ate 75% of our dinners at Korean BBQ places. Always 2 or 3 types of meat, kimchi, and a variety of side dishes. The beef was always marinaded in something very sweet, and the pork had no seasoning at all. Neither had any salt, and that was the biggest food problem. Meat needs at least some salt. The kimchi was usually ok, with only some of the sweeter varieties needing salt. Most all of the side dishes tasted saltless, and I never once saw the salted shrimp or anchovie condiments. I also never once saw ramen in a restaurant.

Yeah, samgyeopsal(pork) is not salted, nor marinated, but you often eat it with lettuce, garlic and other items. Did you try samgyetang (whole chicken and ginseng)? They usually don't salt it though purposely so that you salt it to your own tastes.

Also, with Kimchi, looks like you got fresh kimchi, which is typically served in restaurants. Salt was mainly used as a preservative in Kimchi. If you are eating a lot of fresh kimchi, or in restaurants, they often prepare it with less salt. But it is in there. If you try the fermented kimchi, maybe you might notice the salt there? Though I doubt it considering the fermented kimchi flavor would overpower it usually

The only chicken I saw or ate in Korea was fried chicken from street vendors, or fast food. Yes, all kimchi was fresh, and very good although I got a bit tired of it 3 times a day. Right now I could eat a mountain of it. Why so much sugar in the BBQ beef though?

Quote:

Originally Posted by kebosabi (Post 18373709)

And yet the Japanese consume ramen (both in cheap instant form and actually prepared ones) than most people in the world, yet they have one of the highest life expectancy rates in the world.

It would be a lot higher if both kinds of ramen didn't contribute so much to cerebrovascular diseases
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...21968179900432
and some figures here:
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/mo...ral-infarction
rates of cerebral infarction being quadruple those of the USA

Just as there are a significant percentage of Japanese people who rarely if ever eat either type of ramen there is another segment of the population who eat this kind of food copiously.

Quote:

Originally Posted by braslvr (Post 18377950)

You do realize this is a thread about Ramen, right? ;)

I don't think it would hurt to start some new threads about Korean BBQ or other Korean cuisines since there is already a master thread on kimchi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lin821 (Post 18380480)

You do realize this is a thread about Ramen, right? ;)

Yes, yes. Thread drift. I'm done.:D

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerryFF (Post 18233350)

Ramen is so much more popular in the US than udon or soba, but in Japan, it seems to be just the opposite. It never occurred to me before, but now I really wonder why. Any thoughts?

Dunno, just like Ramen.