Things are spicing up in the kitchen as the world’s most famous noodles will be released as an official building set – LEGO Ramen is on the way.
LEGO Ramen has been revealed as an upcoming Ideas set based on the classic dish from Japan that has been popularised across the world. Noodle lovers can rejoice as they will be able to build pak-choi, shrimps, bacon, broth and eggs, alongside a traditional pair of Japanese chopsticks and chirirenge spoon. The only disappointing part will be that you can’t eat the dish, it will purely be for display purposes.
Michał Duda submitted his concept to the LEGO Ideas platform, where hungry fans slurped up the menu option and propelled it to the 10,000 votes necessary to be considered for review. Since then, the LEGO Group has assessed the model to determine if it would make it to an official release. It’s based on the four classic types of ramen served in Japan – shoyu, tonkotsu, miso, and shio. Each is characterised by the different flavour of the broth, with the most common being the shoyu made from vegetables and soy sauce.
The concept model is fully customisable with different stud colours representing these broth types, as well as a selection of toppings, including seaweed, mushrooms, corn, breaded shrimp and even brick-built curly ramen noodles. It’s all held within a bowl and presented on bamboo rollout placemat. There’s also a pair of Japanese chopsticks and a chirirenge spoon, which is traditionally used with chopsticks for broths and rice.
There are many authentic details incorporated into this culinary creation, with the chopsticks also notably being made from wood and deliberately quite short. Almost all Southeast Asian countries have their own type of chopsticks, from the metal ones used in Korea to the blunt, bamboo chopsticks used in Vietnam – and Japanese chopsticks are noticeably shorter and finer.
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Japanese ramen has a long history and gained popularity as an affordable meal for everyday workers. It was further popularised once instant noodles were invented in 1958. Worldwide, it’s a healthy meal that’s associated with great flavours as well as being incredibly convenient – whether making it from scratch or heating it up in a microwave. While the finalised set will undoubtedly undergo some changes at the hands of professional LEGO designers, foodies will be ready to customise the model’s toppings to their actual ramen preferences.
This announcement is one of six new sets that have been unveiled, including E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Downton Abbey, La Catrina, Smurf Village and Go Go Power Rangers! Megazord. Three more – Daft Punk Concert, The Old Man & The Sea and The Golden Girls – have been put into the Parking Lot for further consideration.
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