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Soba is made of buckwheat so its really an very different type of dish, but Ramen used to be just called "Chinese Soba", since wheat based noodles are very diff
by NikolaeVarius 5y ago
Soba is made of buckwheat so its really an very different type of dish, but Ramen used to be just called "Chinese Soba", since wheat based noodles are very different from rice or buckwheat.
Ramen specifically uses wheat noodles. "Modern Japanese Ramen" took Chinese recipes that used wheat noddles and used them to great effect during the American occupation with extremely cheap wheat prices (compared to other choice). You can be damn sure without cheap American wheat, Ramen would have stayed as Chinese Soba
It's one of those things that make people uncomfortable because history is messy.
- user_named 5y ago"American wheat" is inconsequential. Ramen is the Japanese word for la mian which means pulled noodles. So your history lesson isn't uncomfortable but wrong.
- dendriti 5y agoRamen (and Japanese-style breads, among other dishes) were popularized during and after the American occupation, in which American wheat flooded the Japanese market in unprecedented quantities. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_in_the_Occupation_of_Japan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_in_the_Occupation_of_Japa...
- user_named 5y agoThe parent says that "ramen" would not have existed if it was not for America. That is wrong, it already existed.
- selimthegrim 5y agoHe is referring to the term "Sh*** Soba", which is impolite to utter in modern Japanese (chuka soba is fine).