I am looking for a cookbook about ramen and wonder if anyone could recommend one? I am a complete beginner when it comes to Ramen, but not a beginner when it comes to cooking.
I would like something that explains all terms simply, and possibly some alternatives for hard to get ingredients I might not find here in England.
It's a little americentric in what they expect you to have at your local store, but between amazon, a good specialty Asian store, and some creative experimenting you'll find almost everything and might even find better adaptations.
Be prepared for a lot of reading to start with, as you follow the links to substitution lists, variants and deep dives in each component of the Ramen dish.
I have tried several, the ramen recipes are fantastic, and although they do aim for home style cooking (which is different from restaurant cooking), they definitely measure up with ramen I've had in Japan.
More than the recipes, JOC teaches how the dish is composed, meaning it's very easy to the make your own versions with locally available ingredients and substitutes.
I don't think I've found a better resource for Ramen yet, including the videos people link.
What would you recommend for the best recipes?
I've always thought of u/Ramen_Lord's ebook as the go-to. Essentially all aspects of ramen making are covered here. If you don't want to make noodles, just buy chukamen at the store. If you don't want to spend too much time making broth, make a shoyu ramen. Essentially you can choose to focus on what part of the dish you want to master and then move to the next until you are able to make a whole bowl from scratch (if that's your goal).
I'm sure JOC's recipe is great, but since ramen isn't really a homestyle dish, to me it make sense to learn from a resource that isn't focused on homestyle Japanese.