Shio Ramen

Name: Shio Ramen
Cook time: 210 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1.5 kg Chicken Bones and Wings, mix of carcass, backs, wings; 2.5 l Water, cold; 1 piece of Kombu; 2 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms; 10g Niboshi, dried anchovies, heads and guts removed; 20g Katsuobushi, bonito flakes; 1 small Onion, halved; 1 Leek Greens, or 2 scallion whites; 5 centimeter (cm)s of Ginger, sliced; 60g Fine Sea Salt; 200ml Kombu-Katsuobushi Dashi, from the broth pot or made separately; 1 tbsp Sake; 1 tbsp Mirin; 1 tsp Usukuchi Soy Sauce (Usukuchi Shoyu), optional, for color/umami; 300g Chicken Skin and Fat Trimmings; 2 cloves of Garlic, lightly crushed; 3 centimeter (cm)s of Ginger, sliced; 520g Fresh Ramen Noodles, thin and straight (about 130 g per serving); 700g Pork Belly, rolled and tied; 120ml Soy Sauce; 120ml Sake; 120ml Water; 60ml Mirin; 2 tbsp Sugar; 3 centimeter (cm)s of Ginger, sliced; 2 cloves of Garlic, crushed; 2 Scallions, cut into 5 cm lengths; 4 large Eggs; 150ml Chashu Braising Liquid, reserved; 100ml Water, to dilute marinade as needed

This shio ramen delivers a clear, savory broth brightened with sea salt and layered with umami from kombu, dried shiitake and katsuobushi. Tender braised chashu, silky marinated egg and springy fresh noodles make each bowl comforting and elegant. A drizzle of rendered chicken fat scented with garlic and ginger gives the soup a glossy finish and depth that rounds out the delicate salt-forward stock.

This shio ramen delivers a clear, savory broth brightened with sea salt and layered with umami from kombu, dried shiitake and kats... Show more

Traditional Japanese Recipe

Health Grade

D · Occasional

Rating

4.2

Time

3 hrs30 min

Price

7,40 €

Calories

1717 kcal

high protein

low carb

low sugar

comfort food

Method

Blanch the bones

Put the Chicken Bones and Wings in a large stockpot, cover with the Water (cold), and bring it to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, then pour everything into the sink, rinse the bones well, and wash out the pot so the broth stays clean.

Simmer the broth

Return the cleaned bones to the pot and add the remaining water, Kombu, Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Niboshi (dried anchovies, heads and guts removed), halved Onion, Leek Greens (or 2 scallion whites), and sliced Ginger (sliced). Bring it up very slowly to a bare simmer, skimming off any foam as it appears. After 20 minutes, lift out the kombu so it stays sweet, then keep the pot barely simmering for 70 minutes more. Stir in the Katsuobushi (bonito flakes), turn off the heat, and let it steep for 10 minutes before straining the broth through a fine sieve; do not press on the solids, or the broth can turn muddy.

Mix the tare

In a small bowl, whisk the Fine Sea Salt into the warm Kombu-Katsuobushi Dashi (from the broth pot or made separately) until the salt disappears. Stir in the Sake, Mirin, and the optional Usukuchi Soy Sauce (Usukuchi Shoyu) (optional, for color/umami), then set the tare aside.

Render the oil

Set a small saucepan over low heat with the Chicken Skin and Fat Trimmings, Garlic (lightly crushed), and ginger. Cook gently, stirring now and then, until the skin is crisp and the fat has turned into a clear, fragrant oil, about 35 minutes. Strain out the solids and save the oil for finishing the bowls.

Braise the chashu

Put the rolled Pork Belly (rolled and tied) into a pot with the Soy Sauce, Sake, Water, Mirin, Sugar, ginger, garlic, and Scallion (cut into 5 cm lengths). Bring it to a gentle simmer, cover loosely, and cook for 75 minutes, turning the pork once or twice so it braises evenly. Let it cool in the braising liquid for 20 minutes, then lift it out, reserve 150 ml of the liquid for the eggs, and slice the chashu thinly.

Soft-boil the eggs

Bring a pot of water to a boil, then gently lower in the Eggs. Cook for 6 minutes for set whites and jammy yolks, then cool them under cold water until they are easy to handle. Peel carefully so the whites stay smooth.

Marinate the eggs

Whisk the reserved Chashu Braising Liquid (reserved) with enough water to soften the saltiness, then add the peeled eggs. Make sure they are mostly submerged, cover, and chill for 2 hours, turning the eggs once halfway through so they color evenly.

Cook the noodles

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the Fresh Ramen Noodles (thin and straight (about 130 g per serving)) for 2 minutes, just until they separate and feel springy. Drain them well and shake off the excess water so the bowls stay savory instead of diluted.

Build the bowls

Slice the remaining scallions very thinly for garnish and cut the Nori sheets in half if needed. Divide the tare among 4 warm bowls, add the noodles, ladle in the hot broth, and finish each bowl with a little chicken oil. Top with the sliced chashu, halved eggs, Seasoned Menma (bamboo shoots), the finely sliced scallions, the nori, and a light dusting of White Pepper (optional, to finish) if you like. Serve immediately while the broth is steaming hot.