Negi

Crunchy toppings are some of our favorites to adorn a delicious bowl if immi ramen with and it doesn’t get any crunchier and vibrant than some freshly chopped negi! These springy and light onions are the ideal accompaniment to hearty and rich bowls of not just ramen but tons of soups, stews, and stir-fries. 

It may seem like a fairly plain, one-dimensional topping on the surface. However, we promise there’s more than meets the eye with this delicious onion! Let’s take a deep dive and see why this topping should be your fixture for ramen. 

What is negi?

Although there are over 60 slightly different types of negi cultivated in Japan and around the world, the root veggie can be divided into three basic categories. 

These are Senju, Kaga, and Kujo negi. Kaga and senju negi are part of the “long negi” family which has a more elongated white part and deeper roots than the shorter variety. These are sold with the green stalks trimmed a bit. 

The white part of the plant has a pungent and spicy taste, similar to standard white onion. The leaves have a vibrant and earthy initial taste, with a slightly sweet aftertaste, especially if cooked. 

History of the topping

This tasty condiment and topping is one of the oldest root vegetables in cultivation in Japan. 

We can trace the earliest cultivars back to the Heian period of 794 – 1185 AD. These earliest forms of negi that were cultivated outside of the original region were the ones in Sunamura. These were planted by settlers from Osaka who grew both the original negi, and the more universal banno negi. 

The leafier form could not survive the harsh winters of the northern regions. This gave birth to the white form with the deeper roots that could still reach water and nutrients, even in partially frozen soil. 

Once the Edo period came about, farmers started growing the veggie along the Sumida river basin, and negi production became more mainstream with different sub-species popping up in various regions across Japan. 

The white negi came to be a mainstay of soba noodle shops across the country. This was its introduction into mainstream Asian commercial cuisine since before that it had been a home cooking ingredient. 

Why negi pairs well with ramen

To understand why negi is such a great companion to ramen, we have to look at the constituent flavors and textures that make up this awesome root vegetable. 

First of all, it has a strong initial flavor hit. This is typically what we look for in dishes that can benefit from a little initial zing before mellowing out in a more hearty, filling way. We have toppings such as nori and yuzu kosho that capture the same flavor combo we’re talking about here.

On the other hand, we also have toppings such as kikurage and chashu, both of which meld more into the dish instead of providing the striking contrast that stronger flavors do. 

Stronger flavors and the delicious contrast they provide are perfect to make ramen more interesting, especially if you’re someone who likes to experiment with different flavors of ramen and are developing a taste for new flavor experiences with the versatile dish. 

In terms of individual qualities, negi has a distinct crunch that you don’t find with other raw toppings such as corn or enoki mushrooms. Depending on when it’s been cultivated and how ripe it is, it can have a very satisfying crunch that feels similar to cold iceberg lettuce. 

The only difference between this crunch and the one of lettuce is that flavor and pungency that immediately hit your taste buds. 

Negi starts of light and fragrant in the bowl with the steam coming off the ramen broth bringing the aroma to the nostrils. As soon as you get a mouthful, you feel the crunch of the chopped onion and the leafy texture of the green part. That;s followed by the spicy and earthy flavor that we talked about earlier. 

However, the experience doesn’t end here! Negi actually upgrades the umami of the broth and tare in ramen. We all know that umami we feel in ramen leans more towards the savory and salty side of the spectrum than sweet. 

Adding a stronger yet more neutral flavor actually makes you feel the full umami faster!

Which ramen flavors negi pairs best with

There are 4 basic ramen flavors and each has a unique flavor profile that separates it from the other. Because they’re different, different toppings go well with each flavor for different reasons. 

Here’s a full breakdown of why negi goes well with each ramen flavor:

Tonkotsu: The tonkotsu broth already has a rich flavor base that’s just savory enough on its own without the tare to support bolder flavors. Negi, coupled with some ajitama and chashu, makes for the perfect vessel to add a strong flavor to the otherwise milder ramen. 

Shoyu: This flavor is named after the soy sauce that flavors it. It already has some pungency going on from the fermented ingredients and vibrant green onion just finishes off that bold flavor combo nicely. 

Shio: Because it uses salt as the main flavor base, shio ramen is just neutral enough to really let the negi shine through on its own instead of becoming a part of the background in the bowl. Another interesting aspect is that negi typically goes better with thicker soups such as in tonkotsu ramen. However, because shio allows it to showcase its own flavor and texture, it just works well with the flavor. 

Miso: Miso is a unique combo with negi because it’s somewhat a combination of shio and shoyu ramen with some of the richness of tonkotsu ramen. It becomes a great platform for negi not because of some unique quality, but because it offers all the good qualities that we talked about with the previous flavors. 

That said, we all know that we’re not just limited to the classic ramen flavors with ramen. 

Delicious immi ramen has four awesome flavors all of which prove to be ideal negi vessels. 

For example, Spicy Red Miso flavored immi ramen is packed full of the fermented savory goodness that we all expect from miso. Adding a bit of bright onion to the mix just upgrades the entire experience and makes the flavor appear even bolder. 

Spicy “Beef” flavored immi ramen benefits from negi due to how easily beef pairs with onion and both the umami and earthy spice compliment one another. The Black Garlic “Chicken” flavored immi ramen has a distinct nutty garlicky tinge that gets highlighted and transformed into something more prominent via negi. 

And finally, Tom Yum “Shrimp” flavored immi ramen has a sweet and tangy touch that develops a whole another flavor layer by adding some freshly chopped cold negi to the mix. 

What other toppings pair well with negi

In our opinions, you can’t go wrong by pairing negi with the following toppings:

• Chashu because it’s both hearty and meaty, something that lacks the distinct bite of onion. Just be careful not to add too much or you risk overpowering the already present umami of the chashu.
• Kikurage can pair great with this wonderful veggie topping because of how it becomes primarily a texture-based topping after lending most of its flavor to the broth when cooked in it. Even when it’s not cooked and simply rehydrated to retain the deep umami, it still has plenty of chew to where you need a texture to balance out the chewiness.
• Furikake is a delicious umami seasoning that also works as a great topping. The best way to have negi with it is to toss about a teaspoon of the seasoning in the negi, leave for an hour to meld the flavors together and then add to the ramen bowl. 
• Nori, in our opinion, is the best seaweed-based topping that also works as a snack by itself. The best way to have negi with nori is to chop the nori in a similar way and size as with the nori. 
• Menma is a flavorful bamboo shoot topping that’s the perfect combination of sweet, tart, and tangy. In case you’re booking for a topping that will not only brighten up the bowl but provide another flavor dimension to the negi, look no further.

Aside from these, you have ajitsuke tamago or ajitama, which is a half boiled egg that’s been marinated in a delicious soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar mix. That, coupled with some delicious enoki mushrooms create a bowl of ramen that’s as diverse in flavor and texture as we like our ramen to be. 

Health benefits of negi

Some of the top health benefits of fresh green root veggies include a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and generally better heart health. 

It contains a healthy amount of potassium which regulates the fluid balance in the body. Aside from helping with general health, it also helps a person stay more active over a longer period. 

A diet that includes negi can help with weight management when combined with the right amount of exercise. Plus, you also get a reduced chance of anemia and bone density loss. 

Of course, all of these are provided that negi is a regular part of your diet. 

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