Ingredients:

  • 400g bread flour
  • 4g baked baking soda
  • 190ml warm water
  • 4g sea salt
  • 240ml Japanese soy sauce (Koikuchi)
  • 60ml mirin
  • 30ml sake
  • 25g kombu
  • 40g katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
  • 1.5kg chicken carcasses and backs
  • 200g aromatics (leek tops, ginger, garlic, and onion)
  • 3 liters filtered water
  • 500g pork belly
  • 4 large eggs
  • 50g scallions
  • 4 sheets nori
  • 100g menma (fermented bamboo shoots)

Instructions:

  1. Place the 1.5kg chicken carcasses and 3 liters of filtered water in a large pot. Bring to a simmer until you see grey foam rising to the surface, then skim it off diligently. Add the 200g aromatics and simmer on the lowest heat for 5 hours. Note: Keep the water at a smile—just a few bubbles breaking the surface — to ensure the broth stays clear.
  2. Dissolve 4g baked baking soda and 4g sea salt in 190ml warm water. Slowly pour this into 400g bread flour while mixing with chopsticks until the flour looks like crumbly wet sand. Knead the crumbly dough into a ball (it will be very hard) and let it rest for 1 hour. Pass it through a pasta machine on the widest setting until the sheet becomes smooth and leathery. Note: You may need to fold the dough over itself and re run it several times. Run the dough sheets through the spaghetti cutter attachment. Toss the Shoyu Ramen Noodles with a little extra flour until they feel dry and separated.
  3. In a small saucepan, combine 240ml Japanese soy sauce, 60ml mirin, 30ml sake, and 25g kombu. Heat gently until a woody, sea salt aroma fills the room, but do not let it boil. Turn off the heat and add 40g katsuobushi.
  4. Season 500g pork belly with salt and sear in a pan until the fat begins to sizzle and turn golden brown. Braise it in a mixture of soy, ginger, and sugar (or use some of your tare) for 2 hours until tender. Soft boil 4 large eggs for exactly 6 minutes and 30 seconds. Shock them in ice water and marinate in a mix of soy and mirin for at least 4 hours. Slice 50g scallions very thinly.
  5. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil. Cook the fresh Shoyu Ramen Noodles for 90 seconds to 2 minutes until they are al dente with a firm bite.
  6. Place 2 tablespoons of tare in each bowl. Pour in 1.5 cups of the hot chicken broth. The liquid should transform into a deep mahogany color until the fat droplets shimmer on the surface. Add the noodles to the bowl, lifting them with chopsticks to fold them neatly. Top with slices of pork belly, a halved marinated egg, nori, 100g menma, and a handful of scallions.