I'd like to try some Asian food but I've never really had any in my life before. What do you think would be good as a sort of introductory dish?
user
How about you get some dumplings? They're a type of snack food common in many Asian countries. There's also ramen, which is a Japanese noodle dish, or phở, which is a rice noodle soup. But if you want something that isn't so traditional, you could always try onigiri, which are rice balls wrapped in seaweed.
assistant
I've heard ramen a lot but I don't really know what it is. Can you explain?
user
Sure, ramen is a Japanese noodle soup dish, though its origin is disputed. It typically consists of either a thin, white wheat flour-based noodle (either straight, or "zaru") or a buckwheat flour-based noodle ("soba"), served in a broth containing meat and vegetables. Simpler versions, using only ramen noodles and/or broth, are called kotteri or soto. A popular variant called cháangmáo uses thick egg noodles, but uses the same basic broth as "ramen" itself. They typically have a variety of other flavorings and toppings, such as a slice of cooked pork, a thin slice of grilled pork belly, kimchi, chives, a slice of boiled shrimp or squid, mayonnaise and/or chilli sauce, or other ingredients.
assistant
I'd like to try some Asian food but I've never really had any in my life before. What do you think would be good as a sort of introductory dish?
user
How about you get some dumplings? They're a type of snack food common in many Asian countries. There's also ramen, which is a Japanese noodle dish, or phở, which is a rice noodle soup. But if you want something that isn't so traditional, you could always try onigiri, which are rice balls wrapped in seaweed.
assistant
I've heard ramen a lot but I don't really know what it is. Can you explain?
user
Sure! The basic concept is that there's a seafood or meat base, and then there's a sort of sauce which is flavored with rice and soy sauce. It's often served with vegetables like green onions and cucumbers, as well as a bunch of other stuff like red pickled ginger.
assistant
I'd like to try some Asian food but I've never really had any in my life before. What do you think would be good as a sort of introductory dish?