Signature Ramen (i-e-kei) Recipe
5 pieces nori seaweed, spinach, Naruto, 3 pieces pork cha-shu.
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Ingredients
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Broth
Chāshū (pork topping) - makes 6 pieces, use 3 per bowl
Noodles & toppings
Method
Broth
- 1
Prepare and blanch bones
Rinse pork bones and chicken under cold water. Place in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a rapid boil for 10 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and thoroughly rinse bones and pot to remove scum.
- 2
Simmer stock
Return blanched bones to the clean pot and add 5 liters of fresh cold water. Add smashed ginger, smashed garlic, halved onion, kombu, and dried shiitake. Slowly bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Maintain a low rolling simmer (not a vigorous boil) and skim foam every 20–30 minutes. Simmer uncovered for 6–8 hours to extract collagen and flavor. If the liquid reduces too much, add hot water to keep bones covered.
- 3
Finish and strain
About 30 minutes before finishing, remove kombu. Taste and add salt to adjust seasoning. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into another pot to remove solids. Keep broth hot; you will combine with tare when assembling bowls. If you prefer a lighter broth, skim excess fat; for authentic Iekei richness, leave some fat.
- 4
Make tare (seasoning base)
In a small saucepan combine soy sauce (120 ml), mirin (40 ml), and sake (40 ml). Bring to a gentle simmer for 2–3 minutes to evaporate alcohol, then stir in a pinch of sugar if desired. Remove from heat and set aside. This tare will be used as the flavor base in each bowl.
Chāshū (pork)
- 5
Roll and sear
Tie the pork belly roll with kitchen twine at 2–3 cm intervals if not already rolled. Pat dry and sear on all sides in a hot skillet until nicely browned to develop flavor (2–3 minutes per side).
- 6
Braise
Place seared pork in a medium pot. Add soy sauce (120 ml), mirin (80 ml), sake (80 ml), brown sugar (3 tbs), crushed garlic (4 cloves), sliced ginger (30 g) and 500 ml water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and braise gently for 1.5–2 hours, turning the pork occasionally, until very tender and a probe easily slides through.
- 7
Cool and slice
Remove pork from braising liquid and let cool in the liquid (or refrigerate in the liquid for at least 2 hours or overnight) to firm up and deepen flavor. When ready to serve, slice into 3–4 mm thick rounds. Reserve braising liquid to warm slices and to add a little extra flavor to bowls if desired.
Noodles & toppings
- 8
- 9
Prepare spinach and naruto
Blanch spinach in boiling water for 30–45 seconds until wilted and bright green. Shock in ice water, then squeeze out excess water and toss with a small pinch of salt and 1 tsp sesame oil. Arrange naruto slices on a plate; they require no cooking.
- 10
Cook noodles
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook fresh ramen noodles according to package instructions (typically 60–90 seconds for fresh). Stir gently to prevent sticking. Drain and quickly rinse only if needed to remove excess starch; ideally serve immediately hot.
- 11
Assemble bowls
For each bowl: place 1–2 tbs of tare in the bottom of a warmed bowl (adjust to taste). Ladle ~600 ml (about 2.5 cups) of hot strained broth into the bowl and stir to dissolve tare. Add a portion of cooked noodles. Arrange 3 slices of chāshū on top, half a soft-boiled egg, a small handful of blanched spinach, two slices of naruto, and a nori sheet tucked into the side. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and drizzle 0.5 tsp sesame oil and 0.5 tsp mayu (if using) per bowl. If desired, spoon a tablespoon of warmed braising liquid over the chāshū for extra gloss and flavor.
- 12
Serve
Serve immediately while hot. Provide chopsticks and a ramen spoon. Adjust tare or salt at the table if needed.