In the Anatomy of Vite Ramen Part 1 we explained the science behind the nutrition of our ramen. The next step was molding the dough into a ramen noodle that had a damn good texture.

Noodle connoisseurs will tell you there is a difference between strength, elasticity, and chew of the noodles. Everyone has a preference, but to us, a good ramen has the following characteristics.

A smooth slurpable firmness (you must make slurping noises eating ramen)

A chewy texture that won’t fall apart when you eat it

Spring, or elasticity, when you bite into it

The strength of the noodle comes from cooking time and the amount of protein. The more protein, the harder the dough, and the tougher it is to break, not unlike how you’d be hard pressed to break the Hulk.

But if hardness is the Hulk’s physical strength, then elasticity is the mental state of Bruce Banner. Without self-discipline, then Bruce Banner would break easily and be angry all the time. And we don’t want our noodles to break easily and be angry all the time. In our case, self-discipline comes in the form of alkalinity. Except in the movies he says his secret is he’s angry all the time, so technically that’d make the noodles... The Hulk all the time... Which, um...

Look, It’s not a great analogy, okay?