Japanese Tonkotsu-Style Ramen (Shortcut Broth)

Ingredients

• 300 g Pork shoulder (boneless), thinly sliced
• 2 large Ramen eggs (or eggs)
• 60 ml Soy sauce
• 30 ml Mirin
• 15 ml Sake (or dry sherry)(optional)
• 10 g Brown sugar(optional)
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 20 g Ginger, grated
• 2 stalks Green onions, sliced (white + green parts separated)
• 2 tbsp Neutral oil (or pork fat if available)
• 900 ml Chicken stock (or pork stock)
• 300 ml Water
• 8 g Gelatin powder (or unflavored gelatin)
• 25 g White miso paste
• 1 tbsp Tonkotsu-style seasoning (optional): chicken bouillon or extra soy(optional)
• 2 servings Ramen noodles (fresh or dried)
• 200 g Bok choy (or spinach), chopped
• 2 sheets Nori sheets, torn

Instructions

1. 1

   Prep (about 35 minutes total): Make jammy eggs. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, gently lower in eggs, and cook 6 minutes for jammy yolks. Transfer to an ice bath 5 minutes, peel, then marinate in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, (optional sake), and (optional) brown sugar while you build the broth.

2. 2

   Cook broth (about 45 minutes total): In a pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sear pork slices until lightly browned, then add green onion whites, garlic, and ginger. Cook 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Add chicken stock and water, bring to a simmer, then whisk in gelatin powder and miso. Simmer gently 35–40 minutes, skimming if needed, until broth tastes rich and slightly thick.

3. 3

   Cook noodles and greens (during the last part of the 45 minutes): Boil noodles according to package directions. In the last 1–2 minutes, add bok choy to the noodle water to blanch. Reserve a small ladle of noodle water, then drain.

4. 4

   Assemble: Divide noodles into bowls. Ladle hot broth over noodles. Top with sliced chashu-style pork (from the simmered pork), add jammy eggs (halved), garnish with nori and green onion greens. If desired, loosen with a splash of reserved noodle water and adjust with a little extra soy sauce to taste.