Japanese FoodsMotsuNaru

Making ramen from scratch is pretty darn elaborate. It can be a multiday affair, and if you simply don’t have time for it, it can seem very intimidating. (No, we’re not making our own noodles this time around...I’m taking it easy on you for now.) Our shoyu ramen recipe calls for making four important components: dashi and tare for the soup base, and nitamago and chashu as showstopping toppings. You can certainly eat a decent bowl of noodles without one or two of these players, but man oh man, magic happens when they all come together in one bite. Fear not: Your patience will be rewarded. 

Dashi A simple, clear stock usually made with kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (dried fish shavings, aka bonito flakes). Making this takes just minutes because we don’t want to over-extract the intense flavors of these umami-rich ingredients, but if you need an even quicker version, many stores today carry an instant powder variety called Hon Dashi: Just add it to hot broth or water, and you’re good to go. We’re doctoring our version of dashi with chicken broth and dried shiitake mushrooms for even more oomph.

Tare Called the soul of ramen by some, tare is essentially a flavored, concentrated soy sauce. We will be making this once and using it three different ways: as braising liquid for the pork belly, as marinade for the eggs, and as seasoning for the soup.

Nitamago Marinated soft-boiled egg. There is nothing more awe-inspiring than an egg done well. In this case, the eggs are soft-boiled, peeled, and left to chill in our tare marinade overnight, for 6 to 12 hours.

Chashu Braised pork belly, aka a little slice of heaven for my nonkosher friends. Seared then cooked gently and slowly in our tare mix, it might quite possibly be the most melt-in-your-mouth pork experience you’ll ever have. Pork belly with skin on is the best cut to use, but if you can’t find that at your local butcher, pork shoulder will do just fine. 

La-yu I lied! There are actually five components! But this one is a bonus for my garlic-loving spice heads and it’s totally optional. Inspired by my favorite ramen condiment, found at Chuko in Brooklyn, this is a take on Japanese chili oil with savory pieces of garlic confit gummies and tiny pops of sesame. Just when you thought it couldn’t get better!

When you want to cook to impress, few dishes can top homemade ramen. This recipe makes enough broth and toppings for 4 servings and keeps well in the fridge for a week, so if you're cooking for one, it's the perfect thing to make on a Sunday and heat up throughout the week.