Friday, November 30, 2007

R.A.M.E.N. - national dish of mAcAu...well, almost!


RAMEN....a rustic serving of meat stock spiced with celery, spring onions, burnt garlic, ramen noodles, assorted greens, bean sprouts and chicken/ pork/ beef with huge chunks of potatoes, carrots and other tubers.
This may not be the most authentic version of the popular Japanese dish, but this is more or less the adaptation that you'll encounter across all the restuarants in Macau, China.
Ramens are easy to make, since assembly only involves building from ground zero in a huge bowl an assortment of gravy, noodles, veggies, meat and garninsh. Restaurants generally keep each individual part of the dish ready in steaming bain maries n then once the order's punched in, assemble it within seconds.
The best way to eat a Ramen is to hold the chopsticks in your right hand and a soup spoon in your left. Keep shoving meat/ tubers/ veggies in your mouth with the c'stix n wash it down with the ramen gravy with your soup spoon. Locals do this in an almost involuntary rhythm and its fun to watch them finish a bowlful of steaming goodness within seconds.