Here’s a recipe for a Tonkotsu Ramen that Kenji Virtanen has created himself! A good ramen takes time – it’s not the show of one specific ingredient but the main star is the long-boiled broth. With the broth made right, you can fix almost everything.
**Ingredients for the Broth:
– 2 lbs pork bones
– 1 onion, halved
– 1 head of garlic, halved
– 2-inch piece of ginger, sliced
– 2 leeks, cleaned and chopped
– 12 cups water
**Ingredients for the Tare (Seasoning Sauce):
– 1/2 cup soy sauce
– 1/4 cup mirin
– 1/4 cup sake
– 1 tablespoon sugar
**Ingredients for the Chashu (Pork Belly):
– 1 lb pork belly
– 1/4 cup soy sauce
– 1/4 cup mirin
– 1/4 cup sake
– 2 tablespoons sugar
– 1 onion, chopped
– 1 head of garlic, cloves smashed
– 1-inch piece of ginger, sliced
**Additional Ingredients:
– Ramen noodles
– Ajitsuke Tamago (marinated soft-boiled eggs)
– Sliced green onions
– Enoki mushrooms
– Nori (seaweed) sheets
– Sesame seeds
**Instructions:
1. **Prepare the Broth:
– Begin by blanching the pork bones in boiling water for a few minutes to remove impurities.
– In a clean pot, combine the blanched bones, onion, garlic, ginger, and leeks with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for at least 6 hours, skimming off any scum that rises to the top.
– Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and keep it hot.
2. **Make the Tare:
– Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened. Set aside.
3. **Cook the Chashu:
– Roll the pork belly into a log and tie with butcher’s twine.
– In a pot, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, onion, garlic, and ginger. Add the pork belly and enough water to cover.
– Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 2 hours until the pork is tender.
– Remove the pork, let it cool, then slice into thin rounds.
4. **Assemble the Ramen:
– Cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions.
– In each bowl, place a few tablespoons of tare, then ladle the hot broth over the top.
– Add the cooked noodles, then top with slices of chashu, Ajitsuke Tamago, green onions, Enoki mushrooms, and a sheet of nori.
– Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot.
