Shōyu Ramen

Ingredients

• 1⅓ lbPorkrolled and tied, simmered in the broth, then thinly sliced; source 3 uses pork tenderloin instead
• 6Chicken wingsfor more body in the base broth (optional)
• 1⅛ lbRamen noodlesfresh or dried; source 2 makes them from flour and baked baking soda
• ⅔ cupSoy saucebase of the seasoning broth (tare)
• 12⅔ cupsWaterfor the base broth
• ½ ozKombuadd only near the end of cooking or remove before simmering
• 1 ozBonito flakessteeped in the seasoning broth, then strained out (optional)
• 4Eggsoft- to hard-boiled, peeled, halved
• 3Scallionsthinly sliced as topping
• 2⅛ ozgingerpeeled, sliced, for the broth
• 6 clovesGarlicsmashed or halved, for the broth
• 2Carrotfor the broth or thinly shaved as topping
• 2Onionquartered, for the broth (optional)
• 2Nori sheetscut into strips or squares as topping
• 3½ ozSpinachraw or briefly blanched as topping (optional)
• 5¼ ozBamboo shootsdrained, as topping (optional)
• ¼ cupMirinfor the seasoning broth (optional)
• 2 tbspSesame oiltoasted, drizzled into the bowl (optional)
• Saltfor the noodle water only; the base broth stays unsalted

Method

1. Butterfly the pork belly open, roll it up tightly and tie it with kitchen twine. Halve or smash the garlic, slice the ginger, quarter the onions, cut one carrot into rough pieces for the broth and set the other carrot aside.
2. Put the rolled pork, the chicken wings, the garlic, ginger, onions and the roughly cut carrot in a pot with the water, bring to a boil and cook at a gentle simmer for about 2 hours. Do not salt the broth, and skim off the foam now and then.
3. Add the kombu for the last 20 minutes, then strain the broth through a fine sieve. Set the meat and the chicken wings aside.
4. For the seasoning broth, bring water and soy sauce to a boil, add mirin if you like, scatter in the bonito flakes and let them steep off the heat for about 20 minutes.
5. Marinate the rolled pork in the seasoning broth for about 1 hour, lift it out, remove the twine and cut it into thin slices.
6. Boil the eggs for 6 minutes for soft yolks or 9 minutes for firm ones, cool them under cold water, peel and halve them. Slice the scallions into fine rings, cut the nori into strips or squares, shave the reserved carrot thinly, drain the bamboo shoots and wash the spinach, blanching it briefly if you prefer.
7. Heat the base broth, pour the seasoning broth through a sieve into it and taste for balance. At the same time, cook the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water according to the package instructions and drain them.
8. Divide the noodles among warmed bowls, pour over the hot broth and arrange the pork slices, egg, scallions, nori, carrot, bamboo shoots and spinach on top. Finish with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil if you like and serve at once.
9. For a quick version, cook the noodles and thin slices of pork tenderloin directly in a broth of water and soy sauce for about 10 minutes, skipping the long base broth entirely.

Tips and variations

In spring and summer a shorter cooking time suits the broth, which stays clearer and lighter; in autumn and winter let it go longer for something deeper and rounder. For seasoning, light usukuchi soy sauce and real hon-mirin are a good choice, and if you like heat, stir a little fermented chilli bean paste (doubanjiang from Sichuan) into the seasoning broth. Pork tenderloin works in place of belly, and you can make the noodles yourself from flour, water and baked baking soda: rest the dough and roll it through a pasta machine to about spaghetti thickness; Chinese wheat noodles work too. For a vegan bowl, build the broth from soaked shiitake and kombu with onions, leek, tomatoes, carrots and garlic roasted under the grill, and top it with fried tofu and seared king oyster mushrooms. Slices of candy-stripe beetroot, blanched peas, sugar snaps, asparagus or cabbage and a few sesame seeds all belong here as well — put everything on the table in small dishes and let each person build their own bowl.