What makes ramen noodles so special?

Photo: C_Sombutpinyo (iStock)
The science
Kansui does two critical things to wheat doughs like those that make ramen noodles:
Improves the rigidity of gluten. Manufacturers in Japan have identified specific ratios of these two salts, along with those mentioned other salts or buffers, to give ramen noodles their characteristic texture and flavor. There are some rules of thumb for using each salt:

For thinner, more brittle noodles, increase the ratio of potassium carbonate
For thicker, more chewy noodles, increase the ratio of sodium carbonate

Now, that said… I don’t think you should make noodles at home if you can help it.

Source: thetakeout.com