Concentrated ramen tare

Ramen tares are one of the key elements in building the flavor of the soup. Essentially, they are concentrated, salty seasonings placed on the bottom of the bowl before adding the broth: they determine the final profile of the ramen (saltiness, umami, depth).

Tare (タレ) is a liquid or semi-liquid flavoring base, typically composed of soy sauce, miso, or salt, dashi (Japanese stock base), umami ingredients (kombu, katsuobushi, mushrooms), sugars, sake, mirin, and sometimes flavored fats.

Without tare, the broth would be "flat." It's the tare that gives ramen its identity.