Miso ramen

Ingredients

• Ramen broth
• thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 4 spring onions (whites finely diced, greens finely sliced for garnish)
• 500g (1 lb 2 oz) pork mince
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral-flavoured oil
• 150ml (5 fl oz) sake
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) chilli bean sauce (Toban Djan)
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) dark miso
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) white miso
• salt and white pepper, to taste
• 1.5L (2 pints 11 fl oz) chicken stock
• Garnishes and noodles
• 2 corn cobs, kernels cut from the cob
• 2 sheets nori, cut into quarters
• sliced spring onion greens
• 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) fresh ramen noodles
• Char siu pork (optional)
• 1 piece pork belly, approx. 30 x 20cm (12 x 8 inches)
• 3 spring onions, cut into 5cm (2-inch) batons
• thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced 0.5cm (¼ inch) thick
• 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 120ml (4 fl oz) soy sauce
• 120ml (4 fl oz) mirin
• 120ml (4 fl oz) sake
• Soy sauce eggs (optional)
• 6 eggs
• cooking liquor from the char siu pork

Directions

1. Char Siu Pork (Optional, prepare a day ahead)
2. Roll the pork belly into a tight cylinder and tie it with butcher’s string, securing it 7–8 times to maintain its shape.
3. Place the pork belly in a pot with the spring onion batons, ginger slices, garlic cloves, soy sauce, mirin, and sake.
4. Cover and cook in a preheated oven at 160°C (fan) / 140°C (gas mark 3) / 325°F for 1½ hours.
5. Let the pork cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Allow the cooking liquor to cool as well, reserving it for later.
6. Soy Sauce Eggs (optional, prepare a day ahead)
7. Soft-boil the eggs for 6½ minutes, then plunge them into ice water. Once cool, peel them.
8. Place the eggs in a container and pour the reserved cooking liquor from the char siu pork over them. Marinate in the fridge for 2–24 hours.
9. Ramen broth
10. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the pork mince and sauté for 3–4 minutes, seasoning lightly with salt.
11. Stir in the spring onion whites, grated garlic, and grated ginger. Cook for 2 minutes.
12. Deglaze with sake, then add the chilli bean sauce, dark miso, white miso, a pinch of salt, and white pepper. Stir to combine.
13. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a light simmer. Let it simmer gently for 20–45 minutes.
14. Garnishes and noodles
15. While the broth simmers, prepare the garnishes: Cut the corn kernels from the cob, finely slice the spring onion greens and cut the nori sheets into quarters.
16. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, lightly salted. Cook the ramen noodles for 2–3 minutes.
17. Preheat the serving bowls by adding a ladleful of boiling water to each, then discard it.
18. Assemble
19. Drain the cooked noodles and divide them among the bowls.
20. Ladle 2–3 portions of miso pork stock over the noodles.
21. Garnish with corn, spring onion greens and nori.
22. Sear char siu pork sear slices in a hot, dry pan to heat before adding (optional).
23. Halve soy sauce eggs and place on top (optional)
24. Serve the ramen immediately and enjoy!