Shoyu Ramen Food

SHOYU RAMEN

Steps:

• Two days ahead
• MAKE KOMBU DASHI AND TARE The stock's complexity comes from two elements: kombu dashi (a broth) and tare (a soybased mixture).* For the dashi, combine kombu and 4 quarts cold water in a large bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours. For the tare, combine soy sauce, sake, and mirin in a small bowl; cover and chill.
• One day ahead
• PREP PORK SHOULDER Season pork shoulder with salt and pepper. Roll up and tie with kitchen twine at 2" intervals. (This helps keep the meat intact while cooking and makes for round, compact slices.)
• COOK PORK SHOULDER AND MAKE STOCK Heat oil in a large heavy pot (at least 8 quarts) over medium-high heat. Cook pork shoulder, turning, until brown all over, 10-12 minutes. Add chicken, spareribs, scallions, carrots, garlic, ginger, and bonito flakes. Remove kombu from dashi; discard. Add as much kombu dashi as will fit in pot once liquid is boiling (reserve remaining dashi). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, skimming the surface occasionally and adding remaining dashi as liquid reduces, until pork shoulder is tender and stock has reduced to about 2 quarts, 2 1/2-3 hours.
• CHILL PORK SHOULDER AND STOCK Remove pork shoulder from stock and let cool. Wrap tightly in plastic and chill until ready to use. (Chilling pork will make meat easier to slice.) Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into another large pot or a large bowl or container; discard solids (including ribs and chicken). Cover and chill.
• Day of
• COOK EGGS Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Carefully add eggs one at a time and boil gently for 7 minutes. Egg yolks should be shiny yellow and almost jammy; egg white should be just set. Drain eggs and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking; let cool. Peel; set aside. (Eggs can be cooked 1 day ahead. Keep unpeeled eggs covered in cool water. Cover and chill.)
• SLICE PORK Remove string and thinly slice pork; cover and set aside.
• REHEAT STOCK AND COOK NOODLES When ready to serve, bring stock to a simmer; it should be very hot.
• At the same time, cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions until al dente; drain (no need to salt the water, as ramen noodles contain more salt than pasta).
• Just before serving
• PUT IT ALL TOGETHER Divide noodles among 6 deep bowls.
• Top with sliced pork, placing it off to one side. Add tare to hot stock and ladle over pork to warm through (stock should come up just to the level of the noodles).
• Place a small pile of menma next to pork. Halve eggs and place next to menma.
• Place a small pile of sliced scallions next to egg. Tuck half a sheet of nori between side of bowl and noodles so it's just poking out.
• Serve ramen with chili oil, sesame oil, and shichimi togarashi.

QUICK SHOYU RAMEN

Steps:

• Enjoy!

SHOYU SOUP (FOR RAMEN)

Steps:

• Heat sesame oil in pot (big enough for the soup), saute ginger and garlic until fragrant.
• Add chicken stock, dashi, chicken bouillon, sake, salt, sugar, soy sauce, and shitake mushrooms and bring to a boil.
• Add ramen noodles and cook in soup (usually about 3 minutes, or according to package instructions).
• Drain the noodles and arrange in bowls, add soup and garnish to taste.

SHOYU RAMEN

Steps:

• Heat sesame oil in a deep pan.
• Saute chopped ginger and garlic in the pan.
• Lower the heat.
• Add stock to pan and bring to a boil.
• Add sugar, salt, sake, and soy sauce to the soup.
• Run the soup through a strainer. Return to pot.
• Add tofu, carrots, noodles and mushrooms. Heat through.
• Add spinach and scallions before serving.
• Spoon noodles and vegetables into individual bowls. Add broth.

SHOYU RAMEN

Steps:

• Place the eggs in a small pot with the salt. Add enough cold water to cover the eggs, then set the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let sit for 12 minutes. Drain the eggs and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. Remove the shells from the eggs and discard.
• Place the peeled eggs in a small pot and cover with the pork belly braising liquid. Bring the liquid just to a boil, then turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot liquid until ready to use. If possible, let the eggs sit in the braising liquid overnight.
• Combine the chicken stock and Shoyu Base in a pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover to keep warm.
• Prepare an ice bath and place a large pot of water over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, add the spinach to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove the spinach from the water (keep the pot of water) and submerge in the ice bath. Once cool, drain the spinach by squeezing to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
• Return the water to a boil and add the ramen noodles. Cook, following package instructions, then drain well.
• Remove the eggs from the pork belly braising liquid and cut each in half. Divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Top each with 2 1/4 cups broth, and then arrange in a circle over the noodles one-fourth each of the spinach, egg, pork belly, menma, and naruto, with the scallions in the center. Garnish each bowl with a sheet of nori.