Ramen from Tampopo: the Film About Perfect Noodles

Ramen from Tampopo: the Film About Perfect Noodles

Tampopo (1985, Juzo Itami) is the first Japanese 'food film', in which the heroine searches for the recipe for perfect ramen. A story about the philosophy of food, solitude and perfection.

History of the dish

Tampopo influenced all subsequent food films — from Chocolat to Ratatouille. Itami turned ramen-making into a philosophical treatise on Japanese identity and the obsession with perfection.

Key ingredients

Tonkotsu broth (pork bones, long cook), soy sauce or miso, wheat ramen noodles, chashu (braised belly), nitamago (marinated egg), nori, spring onion, bamboo shoots menma.

How to cook at home

Simmer the broth for at least 12 hours at a gentle boil — this gives the milky-white colour. Chashu: marinate then braise or roast the belly. Nitamago: boil eggs for 7 minutes, then marinate in soy sauce and mirin.