Ramen Shaman - Backyard industry

SO WHEN I SAY "RAMEN," I BET I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE THINKING. YOU ARE THINKING, YEAH, IT IS THAT STUFF YOU BUY AT THE GROCERY STORE FOR 20 CENTS IN A PLASTIC PACKAGE OR IF YOU ARE FEELING REALLY FANCY, YOU CAN GET A 30-CENT CUP OF NOODLES. AND THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT, TOO, UNTIL I MET MY FRIEND, MARK HARTSTEIN, WHO IS MY FRIEND, WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR. HE IS ALSO A COOK ABOUT TOWN, AND AN AMAZING FOOD INNOVATOR, AND TODAY I AM CALLING HIM THE RAMEN SHAMAN. ARE YOU READY, MARK? >> SURE. >>HE'S READY. I AM LISA BRALTS, AND THIS IS "BACKYARD INDUSTRY." >>> WE ARE HAVING A POP-UP. IT IS GOING TO BE AT MY FRIEND'S COLLABORATIVE KITCHEN. IT IS CAFETERIA AND COMPANY. THEY HAVE A PIZZERIA AND A COFFEE SHOP IN ONE LOCATION. THEY WORK OUT OF ONE KITCHEN. WE ARE TAKING OVER ON THE NIGHT THEY ARE CLOSED, TUESDAY. WE ARE GOING TO GO IN IN THE MORNING AND PREP ALL THE FOOD THERE IN THE KITCHEN. WE ARE GOING TO BRING ALL OF OUR OWN DISHES, ALL OF OUR OWN FOOD. IT ALL GOES IN IN THE MORNING, AND IT ALL GETS BUILT UP THROUGH THE DAY, AND SERVE IT THAT NIGHT. RAMEN IS A JAPANESE FAST FOOD. A BOWL OF RAMEN IS BASICALLY RAMEN NOODLES WITH BROTH AND GARNISHES. THERE ARE VERY MANY VARIATIONS OF THE BROTH AND NOODLES AND GARNISHES, DEPENDING ON THE REGION OR THE PARTICULARITIES OF THE COOK. IT WAS DEFINITELY ONE OF THOSE KEY ITEMS OR KEY FOOD TRENDS OF TAKING STREET FOOD OR LOW FOOD AND THEN ELEVATING IT UP AND USING MORE REFINED INGREDIENTS, USING LOCAL INGREDIENTS, SEASONAL INGREDIENTS, TREATING THEM IN A KITCHEN WITH A LOT OF RESPECT, AND PRESENTING THEM ALMOST RELIGIOUSLY IN A WAY. RAMEN--WHAT DIFFERENTIATES RAMEN FROM THIS, IT IS A FLOUR BASED NOODLE THAT USES WATER. BUT THE THING ABOUT THE RAMEN NOODLES IS IT USES SOMETHING KANSUI, WHICH IS AN ALKALI SALT. IT CHANGES THE PH OF THE NOODLE. THAT'S WHY RAMEN NOODLES ARE KIND OF YELLOWISH BECAUSE THE ALKALINITY OF THE KANSUI ACTUALLY CHANGES THE PROTEINS IN THE FLOUR AND MAKES IT FIRMER AND CHEWIER. >>> PARSNIP, CARROTS, CELERY, A BUTT TON OF ONIONS. I AM ALSO GOING TO ADD GOOD ORGANIC LEEKS, AND WE'LL SPIKE IT WITH GINGER AND GARLIC. LASTLY, THE OTHER THING WE ARE GOING TO PLAY WITH TODAY IS THIS IS A TERRA ROOT. SO THE EGGS, WE BOILED FOR SIX MINUTES, NO LONGER, SO THAT THE EGG WHITES ARE STILL PRETTY FIRM, AND THE YOLKS, CENTER IS STILL CREAMY. THEN WE CRASH THE TEMPERATURE IN ICE WATER, AND THEN WE LET IT SIT FOR A COUPLE HOURS IN VINEGAR. >>YES, THAT'S WHAT I'M SMELLING. >>SO WHAT THE VINEGAR WILL DO IS HELP US TO PEEL IT BECAUSE THE EGG IS SOFT. >>RIGHT. OH, BOY. >>IT WILL BE TRICKY. MY MAD EGG SKILLS! >>WOW! >>> WE WILL BE DONATING A PORTION OF OUR PROCEEDS TO THE EASTERN ILLINOIS FOOD BANK WHICH IS A CHARITY THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVING TO OFTEN IN OUR OTHER EVENTS, NOT JUST THE RAMEN EVENTS, BUT OTHER POP-UPS WE DO. THERE IS A REASON TO DO THE POP-UPS. IT IS NOT TO GET MY NAME OUT THERE WHICH I DIDN'T WANT IN THE FIRST PLACE, BUT IT IS GOING TO A GOOD CAUSE.