Shio Ramen Recipe

Blanch the bones: place chicken and pork bones in a large stockpot, cover with cold water and bring to a rolling boil. Boil vigorously for 8 minutes to remove impurities, then drain and rinse bones and pot to remove scum.

Return cleaned bones to the pot and add 4 liters of fresh cold water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Add kombu and dried shiitake, then immediately lower heat so the broth barely simmers (small bubbles). Do not boil kombu for long—remove kombu after 20 minutes and keep the shiitakes in the pot for flavor.

Add onion halves, smashed garlic, sliced ginger, and chopped scallion whites to the pot. Maintain a gentle simmer (no rolling boil) for 3 to 4 hours, skimming any surface scum occasionally. Longer (up to 6 hours) yields deeper flavor.

About 30 minutes before finishing, stir in kosher salt, white soy sauce, and mirin. Taste the broth and adjust (keep mild and balanced; you can add a little more soy or salt if necessary).

Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pot or bowl. Discard solids. Keep the strained broth warm over the lowest heat; do not boil.

Make the tare while the broth simmers: dissolve sea salt into 2 tablespoons of hot water in a small bowl. Stir in white soy sauce, sake, and optional umami paste until smooth. Adjust saltiness so the tare is slightly stronger than you want the finished bowl—this concentrates when combined with broth.

Divide tare among serving bowls (about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons per 500 ml bowl of broth). Keep at room temperature until ready to assemble.

Prepare soft-boiled eggs: bring a medium pot of water to a boil, gently lower eggs and cook for 6 to 7 minutes for jammy yolks. Transfer to ice bath for 5 minutes, peel, and marinate (optional) in a mixture of equal parts soy and water for 1 hour or overnight. Slice in half before serving.

Blanch greens: bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add baby bok choy or spinach for 30–45 seconds until bright green and tender. Remove and set aside.

Cook ramen noodles: bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add fresh ramen noodles and cook according to package instructions (typically 60–90 seconds for fresh; 3–4 minutes for dried). Stir gently to separate. Drain briefly, reserving a small ladle of noodle water if you want to loosen the bowl later.

Warm toppings: briefly reheat chashu slices in the hot broth or sear quickly in a hot pan for 30 seconds per side to warm and add color.

Assemble each bowl: place the tare (about 1 to 1.5 tbs) in the bottom of each serving bowl. Ladle 500 ml of hot strained broth into the bowl and stir gently to dissolve the tare. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt or a few drops of soy if needed.

Add cooked noodles to the bowl, arranging them neatly. Top with two halves of a soft-boiled egg, 2–3 slices of chashu, a small handful of blanched greens, menma, torn nori, and a sprinkling of sliced scallions. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil and a light dusting of white pepper if desired.

Serve immediately while hot. Provide extra tare or salt at the table for individual adjustment.