No.5 Mazemen (brothless) Recipe
brothless bowl, kakuni (pork belly), cabbage, chives, scallions, tsukemono
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Ingredients
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Kakuni (Braised Pork Belly)
Noodles & Sauce (Mazemen Base)
Vegetables & Toppings
Finishing & Garnish
Method
Kakuni (Braised Pork Belly)
- 1
Trim, Roll, and Parboil
Trim excess loose fat from the pork belly and optionally score the skin lightly. Roll the pork belly into a tight log and tie every 2 inches with kitchen twine to hold shape (this makes neat slices). Place the pork belly in a large pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil to remove scum for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse the pork and the pot. Return pork to pot.
- 2
- 3
Braise in Seasoned Liquid
After the initial hour, carefully remove the pork to a tray. Discard the simmering liquid and aromatics, wipe the pot clean. Return the pork to the pot and add 120 ml sake, 80 ml mirin, 140 ml soy sauce, 45 g sugar, and 300–500 ml fresh water (enough to come halfway up the pork). Add kouji or maltose if using. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and braise very gently, uncovered or partially covered, for 1.5–2 hours until pork is tender and a skewer slides in with little resistance. Turn the pork every 20–30 minutes so it braises evenly.
- 4
Cool and Slice
When tender, remove pork to a tray and allow to rest and cool at least 20 minutes. Strain and reserve braising liquid (tare) for later use in the noodle sauce if desired. Slice the pork into 6–8 mm thick slices. For serving, sear slices briefly in a hot pan (skin-side down) with a little oil to crisp the skin and warm through, or warm in reserved braising liquid gently.
Noodles & Sauce (Mazemen Base)
- 5
Prepare Noodle Sauce
Combine 150 ml chicken/pork tare with 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame paste, 1 tablespoon rayu, and 1 teaspoon dark soy or oyster sauce in a bowl. Adjust balance to taste — it should be savory, slightly sweet, and oily enough to coat noodles. If the tare is very salty, dilute with 1–2 tablespoons water or reserved kakuni braising liquid.
- 6
Cook Noodles
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add fresh ramen noodles and cook according to package instructions (typically 60–90 seconds for fresh medium noodles) until just al dente. Reserve 120 ml of noodle cooking water, then drain noodles quickly and rinse very briefly under warm water to remove excess starch if they are overly sticky. Shake off excess water.
- 7
Toss Noodles with Sauce
Place drained noodles into a large mixing bowl, add the prepared sauce and 2–3 tablespoons of reserved noodle water to loosen and coat. Toss vigorously with tongs or chopsticks until noodles are glossy and evenly coated. Taste and adjust with a teaspoon of rice vinegar or a splash more tare if needed for brightness and balance.
Vegetables & Toppings
- 8
Prepare Vegetables
Thinly shred the cabbage and toss lightly with a teaspoon of neutral oil and a pinch of salt to season and keep it glossy. Cut chives into 2-inch pieces and thinly slice scallions separating white and green parts.
- 9
Make Ajitsuke Tamago (if using homemade eggs)
Soft boil eggs: bring a pot of water to a boil, add eggs gently and cook for 6 minutes 30 seconds for jammy yolks. Transfer immediately to ice bath for 5 minutes, peel, and marinate in equal parts soy and mirin diluted with a little water (roughly 3 tablespoons soy, 3 tablespoons mirin, 50 ml water) for 4–6 hours or overnight. Halve before serving.
- 10
Prepare Tsukemono
If using store-bought tsukemono, slice into thin bite-sized strips. If quick-pickling vegetables at home, thinly slice cucumber or daikon, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, let sit 10 minutes, squeeze out excess liquid and toss with 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar.
- 11
Assembly & Finishing
- 12
Portion Noodles
Divide sauced noodles into 4 warmed bowls, creating a small well in the center of each pile for toppings.
- 13
Top with Kakuni and Vegetables
Arrange 3–4 slices of warmed kakuni on each bowl of noodles. Pile a small handful (about 3/4 cup) of shredded cabbage to one side, add a tablespoon or two of sliced tsukemono, scatter chives and the white slices of scallion near the kakuni, then place a halved ajitsuke tamago on each bowl.
- 14
Garnish
Finish with green parts of scallion, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, nori strips, 1 teaspoon pickled ginger if using, and 1–2 teaspoons fried garlic. Drizzle a few drops of reserved braising liquid or a light splash of soy and rice vinegar mixture (1 tsp soy + 1 tsp rice vinegar) over the toppings for sheen and balance. Grind a little black pepper over each bowl and drizzle a tiny extra touch of sesame oil or rayu to taste.
- 15
Serve
Serve immediately. Diners should toss their bowl thoroughly to combine noodles, sauce, kakuni, and toppings before eating so the flavors marry.
