15-Minute Iekei Ramen Recreated with Chicken Oil and Gelatin: Ryuji's "Real Iekei" Recipe

For the noodles, Ryuji recommends the thick noodles sold at the supermarket chain Life, saying they are "super iekei-like." If those aren't available, anything labeled as thick noodles will do, as long as they aren't wavy. The video makes two servings, and for one serving, all ingredients can simply be halved.

The amount of chicken thigh is small, but it is used for both the soup and the chicken oil. The ingredient Ryuji considers especially important is gelatin: "Without this, it won't become iekei." Ryuji explains that the glossy, coated feeling in your mouth after eating iekei ramen comes from gelatin, the same reason a soup made by simmering chicken for a long time turns into something like aspic when left to sit. Iekei soup and well-simmered tonkotsu soup also contain gelatin released from the meat. Since commercial powdered gelatin is pork-derived, the idea is that adding it brings the soup close to iekei even in 15 minutes.

For toppings, Ryuji prepares ramen-shop-style chashu bought at Life, spinach, and toasted nori. Ryuji has a homemade microwave chashu recipe, but chose a store-bought product this time to save effort. Fresh spinach is preferable if possible.

About half a bunch of spinach is used for two servings. Ryuji cautions that soil can get trapped at the base, so the leaves should be separated and washed thoroughly. If that's too much trouble, frozen spinach heated in the microwave is fine too. Fresh spinach is boiled in water with a 1% salt concentration.

The boiled spinach is not plunged into water; it is simply left to sit. Ryuji says that for iekei, spinach that hasn't been rinsed in water is preferred. Once cooled, it is squeezed and roughly chopped. When a staff member tried to squeeze it while still hot, Ryuji quipped that you can just squeeze it after it cools. Having compared the two, Ryuji also said frozen is good, but fresh is definitely better. For some people spinach is an indispensable topping, but for Ryuji personally, this step was the most tedious.

Iekei ramen contains a large amount of oil. Chiyu (chicken oil) is normally used, but it isn't sold in supermarkets, so Ryuji substitutes lard. Vegetable oil isn't bad, but lard, as an animal fat, is better. The amount is quite large, about 5 tablespoons for two servings. If you're aiming for authentic iekei, this much is recommended, but the amount of oil can be adjusted to taste.

Chicken thigh, skin on, is added to the lard and fried. Ryuji repeatedly stresses: "Absolutely skin on." The purpose of this step is to transfer the aroma of chicken oil to the lard. Over high heat the oil spattered violently, so in the video Ryuji switched to low heat partway through. As fat renders out of the chicken, it becomes "a strange oil that's pork fat but smells like chicken." Without the skin, it doesn't become chicken oil; the aroma of the skin is what gives it its chiyu character. Ryuji emphasized that this oil produces a flavor quite close to iekei, so this step must not be skipped.

Once the skin is browned, the chicken is removed. A staff member asked whether the chicken wouldn't be used, but it goes into the soup pot.

Into the soup pot go 600 cc of water (300 cc for one serving), the fried chicken, onion, and chopped garlic. According to Ryuji, iekei soup is made from pork and chicken stock. Since this recipe contains no pork, 2 teaspoons of Chuka Aji, which contains a lot of pork extract, are added as a substitute. In addition, to make up for the missing chicken, pork, and gelatin, one packet of powdered gelatin per serving is added. This, Ryuji says, is the key point. No soy milk is used this time. Simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes until the vegetables soften.

Once cooked, the chicken and vegetables are pulverized with a blender. It doesn't look like soup yet, but crushing the chicken is how iekei soup is recreated. Ryuji says, "I think I'm the only one doing something like this." Blending early also makes it cook faster, so it's better to blend early on.

This technique applies to chicken a method used in Ryuji's earlier "Generic Ichiran" recipe. Since the entire chicken becomes part of the soup, it naturally turns rich, Ryuji explains. Simmer a little longer so the meat and vegetables break down further, then blend once more until smooth so no graininess remains. Ryuji called this method "revolutionary" and said they didn't know of a single person making it the same way.

On equipment, a staff member asked whether a countertop blender they used for mixed juice and rarely touched would work. Ryuji's answer was that it could be used, but transferring all the soup to blend it would be a hassle, so an immersion blender is recommended. Ryuji also corrected that calling it a "hand mixer" would mean an electric whisk for cakes, so it should be called a blender. Noting that many viewers apparently bought blenders for the Generic Ichiran episode, Ryuji encouraged buying one, saying that with it you can make iekei anytime.

Lower the heat under the blended soup and add the seasonings. The amounts for two servings are as follows:

• Salt: 2 pinches
• Sugar: 4 pinches (a slightly generous amount added for "depth")
• Ajinomoto: 1 teaspoon
• Lard: 4 teaspoons
• Soy sauce: 10 teaspoons (5 teaspoons per serving)
• Pepper: 6 shakes
• Garlic powder: 6 shakes

Ajinomoto would normally be added later as part of the kaeshi, but this time it goes directly into the soup. Ryuji explained that iekei ramen contains about this much, so it has to be included, and added that for one serving it's only half a teaspoon, so it's not that loaded with additives. Melting a little lard into the soup also makes it tastier. Adding the soy sauce gives it an iekei-like color, and after tasting, Ryuji said it was "irresistible."

Blending again at this point makes it even smoother. It will set if left to sit, but that's no problem because it returns to liquid when heated. Ryuji explains that iekei soup, with its high animal content, should set when left standing. Right after blending there is foam, but if the foam remains, it becomes "foam-style" ramen. As it heats, the foam disappears, which Ryuji described as being "like magic." Ryuji spoke with feeling about finally being able to show this soup, saying they had wanted everyone to taste it.

As for the water for the noodles, a staff member filled the pot to the brim, and there was a scene where it was reduced because it would overflow once the noodles went in. The staff member drew laughs by protesting that they had been taught to use "plenty of water."

What Ryuji emphasized was temperature control. Iekei is ruined once it gets lukewarm, so the bowl must always be warmed. Fill the bowl with water and microwave it; the water gets hot and warms the bowl. The noodles are boiled for about 2 and a half minutes to keep them firm. The lard poured on at the end is also warmed, since cold lard would rob the ramen of heat.

While the noodles boiled, Ryuji also talked about how to approach ramen. If you understand ramen too well, you head in a niche direction, so it's more enjoyable not to research it too much. People who over-research tend to say this place is good and that place isn't, but Ryuji's honest view is, "Ramen is pretty much all good." That said, Ryuji has eaten a lot of iekei for a long time, so their understanding of it is high-resolution.

In Ryuji's assessment, iekei soup has no thickness. Instead, mellowness comes from pouring plenty of animal fat over the top, and the flavor is salty. This version isn't made that strong, so if you like it stronger, add more soy sauce and Ajinomoto. Ryuji also said that ordering "strong" at a shop gets you something almost like seawater. For this recipe, the flavor strength is set to "regular," and the oil is on the generous side, since Ryuji figured more oil would be preferred.

When plating, Ryuji puts the noodles in the bowl first. Having tried it many times without the taste changing, Ryuji took the position that while some people say the order changes the flavor, it doesn't. Arrange the noodles neatly, pour in the soup, and drizzle generously with the warmed oil. Without the oil, it isn't iekei. Finally, chashu, nori, and spinach are placed on top, and it's done.

The staff member who tasted first was surprised: "This is iekei." "Wait a sec. It's iekei." Ryuji also said, "This is real iekei," and laughed about forgetting to comment and just eating. There was also a moment where Ryuji checked with the staff that it tasted of chicken too.

Comparing it with the earlier soy milk version, the staff member said that one was good in its own way, but this one is completely different. The staff member also pointed out that shop iekei might have more oil and a sharper edge. Ryuji responded that this is what the regular flavor is like.

Ryuji also demonstrated the iekei way of eating: putting nori and spinach on rice and pouring soup over it. Ryuji repeated that it's hard to believe it was made in 15 minutes. The staff said the noodles were good too, and Ryuji replied that Life's thick noodles are pretty good.

At the end, Ryuji said that the previous soy milk version couldn't be called iekei, but this one can, adding, "I think it could fool quite a few people." The three key points Ryuji reiterated were using gelatin, crushing the meat, and making chicken oil. At the end of the shoot, there was also a moment when Ryuji noticed the stove had been left on and hurriedly turned it off.

In the bonus segment, the conversation turned to a staff member's recent visit to Machida Shoten. The staff member said they preferred Sugitaya, and Ryuji shot back, "Of course Sugitaya is better." According to Ryuji, because Machida Shoten has expanded to many locations, Sugitaya, which basically works hard with just two shops, inevitably has higher quality. The staff member also mentioned that even iekei ramen ordered through Uber Eats came with the chicken oil packed separately.

Iekei chicken oil goes in in such large quantities that it forms a film over the surface of the soup. Ryuji doesn't think that much is necessary, and this time adjusted it to an amount that's fine for eating once in a while. Still, Ryuji acknowledged that authentic iekei tastes better with lots of oil. Ryuji estimated that the oil alone is probably about 500 kilocalories. Jiro-style ramen also looks high-calorie, and counting the pork, Jiro might come out ahead, but in terms of oil, iekei actually has more. As evidence, Ryuji cited experience from testing: adding the oil rendered from the chicken to the lard didn't form a film, and getting a film would have taken something like double that amount. Even so, the ramen is delicious with the oil in it, so the large amount of oil "can't be helped," Ryuji concluded.