Tonkotsu ramen with chashu

Cleaning the bones: Place the pork bones in a large pot and cover with cold water so they are submerged. Bring to a boil and boil vigorously for 5 minutes - this releases impurities from the bones. Drain the water, rinse the bones thoroughly under running water and clean the bottom of the pot as well.

Aromatics: Cut the onion in half, slice the ginger into thick slices, lightly crush the garlic, and cut the leek into large pieces. Also prepare the scallions for garnish.

Preparing the belly: Tie the pork belly with kitchen twine into a cylinder to keep its shape while braising. Prepare the marinade and other ingredients for the chashu.

Marinated eggs (ajitsuke tamago): In a large pot, bring water to a rapid boil. Carefully add the eggs and cook 6-7 minutes for a creamy (slightly runny) yolk. After the time is up, immediately transfer them to ice water for 5-10 minutes to stop the cooking, then peel and let cool before marinating.

Tonkotsu broth: Return the rinsed bones to a clean pot, cover with approximately 4 L of cold water and add the prepared onion, ginger, garlic, and leek. Bring to a vigorous boil and then maintain a strong simmer without a lid for 10-12 hours. During cooking, skim off foam and impurities regularly, and add boiling water as needed so the bones stay submerged. Continue until the broth turns milky white, which indicates emulsification of fat and collagen.

Finishing the broth: After cooking, strain the broth through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth, remove large pieces, and, if desired, remove excess surface fat. Keep the broth hot, or refrigerate for later use.

Chashu: Heat oil in a pan and sear the tied pork belly on all sides until golden brown to seal the surface. Transfer to a smaller pot, add soy sauce, mirin, sake, water, sugar, slices of ginger, crushed garlic, and the scallion. Cover and braise over low heat for 1.5-2 hours, until the meat is very tender (test with a fork). Let cool in the braising liquid so it absorbs flavor, then remove and slice thinly.

Marinated eggs: Mix soy sauce, mirin, water, and sugar to make the marinade. Submerge the peeled eggs in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. turn them occasionally for even coloring and flavor.

Shoyu tare: In a small saucepan briefly warm the soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar just until the sugar dissolves - do not let it boil vigorously. Let the tare cool. adjust the ratio as needed before serving.

Aromatic oil: Gently warm sesame oil with garlic slices for 5-7 minutes over very low heat to release the aroma without letting the garlic burn. Remove the garlic and keep the oil lukewarm.

Noodles: In a large pot, bring 3 L of water to a boil. Cook the ramen noodles according to the package instructions (usually 1-3 minutes) until al dente. After cooking, briefly drain and quickly rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and prevent sticking. Before serving you can dip them into boiling water for a few seconds to reheat.

Put 1-2 tablespoons of shoyu tare and 1 tablespoon of aromatic oil into each bowl, pour 400-500 ml of boiling broth and stir to combine the flavors.

Add a portion of noodles, top with slices of chashu, halves of the marinated egg, chopped scallions, strips of nori and optionally bamboo shoots (menma).

Taste and adjust with more tare or oil to suit your preference. Serve immediately so the noodles stay springy and the broth hot.