Having only recently discovered this ‘wonder food’ called pork ramen in the past year or so. Since then, I have become obsessed with it, and it seems like most of the world has. Rightfully so, folks! It’s damn delicious. And more of you should try it. With so many varieties from the different regions of Japan, I feel it would take a good year to eat my way through all the different ways you can make it.
Pork Ramen Recipe
Print RecipeIngredients
- Broth Ingredients
- 1 litre of liquid chicken stock
- 1 litre of water
- 2 chicken stock pots
- 1 tablespoon of lard or duck fat
- Knob of grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons of tahini
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon of mirin
- 2 tablespoons of finely minced cooked fat from the chashu pork
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chashu marinade (once cooked)
- Chashu Pork Belly Ingredients
- 400 to 600 grams of pork belly, skin on
- 1/2 cup of soy sauce
- 1 cup of mirin
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of mirin
- 5 to 6 whole garlic cloves
- 1 whole onion cut in half, skin on
- 1 5-centimetre knob of ginger, finely sliced
- 5 to 6 spring onions finely chopped
- Ajitsuke Tamago (Marinated Soft Boiled Egg) Ingredients
- 1 egg per person – soft boiled
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup of soy
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup of mirin
- 1/4 cup of sake
- To Serve Ingredients
- 1 packet of prepared ramen/udon noodles per person
- Finely chopped spring onions
- Finely chopped nori
Instructions
Chashu Pork Belly Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 135 degrees Celsius.
- Roll up your pork belly lengthwise on a cutting board, with the skin facing out.
- Using twine, tightly secure the pork belly at 5-centimetre intervals. Place pork belly in a large, deep ovenproof dish.
- In a large pot over high heat, add 1 cup of water, soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, scallions, garlic, ginger, and heat until boiling. Pour liquid over your pork and cover with tinfoil or a lid. Cook pork for 3 to 4 hours, occasionally turning to baste it.
- When ready to serve, remove the pork belly from the oven and reserve the liquid.
- Cut your pork belly into round slices.
- Strain the leftover liquid and add 2 tablespoons to your broth.
Broth Instructions
- Add your sesame oil, lard, and ginger to a large hot pot. Fry ginger until browned and caramelised.
- Add your liquid stock, stock pots and water and bring to a vigorous simmer.
- Stir in your mirin and tahini and simmer for about 30 minutes while you start on the other toppings.
- Add the 2 tablespoons of chashu pork liquid once it is done cooking.
Ajitsuke Tamago Instructions
- Soft boil one egg per person. Carefully peel eggs and set them aside in a bowl that fits them all.
- Mix your water, sake, soy, and mirin in another bowl and pour the mixture over your eggs. To stop your eggs from floating, place a double layer of paper towel over the eggs.
- It will absorb some of the liquid, don’t worry. Let the eggs marinate for 3 to 4 hours or overnight.
Noodles Instructions
- Just before serving your ramen, boil your noodles as per the packet’s instructions – generally about 3 minutes.
- I would suggest udon noodles that can be found at most Asian supermarkets and Woolworths. If you can’t find udon noodles, any other Asian noodles will do.
- Assembly Instructions
- Place your cooked noodles in a large bowl, add enough broth per bowl to cover your noodles generously.
- Add your sliced Chashu pork belly, egg (cut in half), spring onion and any other toppings of your choice.
- Eat up while it’s hot. And don’t forget to slurp your noodles!
