The basis of any good bowl of ramen is an excellent stock. Many restaurants in London use the bones of meat to flavour stock; they simmer them in water with aromatics like garlic, chilli and lime for a long time – hours even! All so they can get a rich, authentic taste into the soup of their ramen. This recipe is best made with a homemade chicken stock, so next time you get a whole fresh chicken make sure you make some! Just add the carcass to a big pot of water and simmer for a few hours with some rustic veg like carrots, leeks and onions which are full of flavour.
Now, on to the main recipe! Pork Ramen is a noodle soup made with pork loin as the star ingredient. Pork is a very popular accompaniment to Japanese Ramen, and you’ll find many authentic restaurants will serve Pork Ramen. It makes for a hearty, warming bowl of noodles perfect for when you really need to quash the hunger demons!
Ingredients
1 Litre Homemade Chicken Stock
3 lbs of Pork Loin
1 Thumb of Ginger
Beansprouts (Good Handful)
1 Garlic Clove
1 Cup Spring Onions
1/3 Cup Soy Sauce
1 Sheet of Nori
1 Pack Ramen Noodles
Recipe
Lightly fry the ginger and garlic after crushing it into a paste, you can use a little salt to help get a very fine paste. Toast until golden and aromatic but not crisp.
Add the chicken stock, and bring up to a light simmer.
Leave to cook whilst you prepare the pork. Salt all sides of the meat then add to a hot pan and sear the outside of the meat. When it is golden brown on all sides, add the meat to the chicken stock to finish the cooking process.
You will want to leave the pork in the stock cooking for about 2 hours, it will absorb all the flavours and be beautifully tender.
After the time is up start cooking the noodles in salted water in another pan.
Remove the pork from the cooking liquor and let it rest, simmer and reduce the stock a little, and skim off any excess fat in the broth from the pork.
Slice the pork thinly then brush with soy sauce, place it under the grill just until the soy looks sticky and sweet!
To Serve:
Place a portion of noodles in each bowl and fill with stock. Garnish with spring onions, a strip of nori and beansprouts. Place the seared pork on top, and you’re done!