This Tonkotsu Ramen recipe is one of the most famous dishes from my home town Fukuoka in Japan, and now one of the most well known ramen dishes in the world. In Fukuoka we have a great choice of ingredients that make for a fantastic array of regional dishes.
If you go to Japan, I really recommend that you visit Fukuoka, in the Kyushu area. Not many food writers and journalists have yet visited there, so at the moment it’s a hidden gem! Most recently, food writer Felicity Cloake visited the Kyushu area and shared some of her superb photos on her Instagram.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
– Ramen egg noodles
Broth
– 1kg pig hock bones, ask the butcher cut into the smallest pieces possible
– 1kg trotter
– 1 large onion, with skin sliced in 4
– 50g ginger sliced
– 1 leek, cut in half
– 1 clove garlic, with skin sliced in half
– 1 (30g) kombu
– 5 litres water
– 3 litres water
Chashu
– 500g boneless pork belly
– 1 litre water
– 50ml Kikkoman dark soy sauce
– 50ml sake
– 50ml mirin
– 100g brown sugar
– 50g ginger
Nitamago (stewed egg)
– Sauce from chashu
– 6 eggs
Ramen tare
– 450ml Kikkoman light soy sauce
– 50ml mirin
– 40g brown sugar
Garnish
– 1 scallion, thinly sliced
– A pinch white toasted sesame seeds
– A pinch beni shoga (red pickled ginger)
– 1/6 sushi nori seaweed
Method:
Nitamago
1. Place the eggs into medium heat boiling water and then let it simmer for 6 minutes.
2. Drain the water and carefully peel the eggs in cold water. The eggs are very soft and delicate.
3. Place the eggs into the cold chashu sauce for 1 night.
Chashu
1. Place pork belly and all the ingredients for chashu in a pot. Add water to fully cover all ingredients.
2. Once boiled, remove the scum.
3. Continue to cook for five hours.
4. Rest them in the juice overnight.
Broth
1. Place all ingredients for broth in a pot with 5 litres of water.
2. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Once boiled, remove the scum.
3. When broth turns to creamy white strain it.
4. Place only boiled bones into the pot and then add 3 litres of water
5. Continue to boil for 3 hours.
6. Add “ramen tare” to taste.
To serve
1. Cook ramen noodle in boiling water and bring the broth to boil.
2. Pour the broth into a bowl and arrange the noodles, chashu, egg and garnish.
Takashi’s 20 years Japanese cooking experience includes catering for heads of state and celebrities, and holding a number of Head Chef positions in both Japan and Ireland. Takashi was named “Chef of the Year 2015” by John and Sally of The McKenna’s Guide. He is an advocate for Japanese cooking here in Ireland and his aim for Miyazaki is simple: “There are so many types of Japanese food. It is like a treasure box. I want people to enjoy the real flavours of Japan.”
Miyasaki Miyasaki