Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen Recipe

Blanch the chicken: place the chicken carcass/backs in a large stockpot and cover with cold water (about 2 liters). Bring to a rolling boil for 5 minutes then drain and discard that water. This removes impurities for a clearer tasting broth.

Clean the pot and return the blanched chicken. Add 4 liters fresh water, halved onion (skins on), smashed ginger, crushed garlic, kombu, and dried shiitake. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Simmer uncovered at a low rolling simmer for 3 to 4 hours, skimming any foam occasionally. Keep the pot at a gentle simmer (not a vigorous boil) to extract collagen for a rich, slightly milky stock.

After 3–4 hours, remove chicken solids and strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot. Return clear stock to the stove and reduce over medium heat if you want a more concentrated flavor (optional): simmer 20–30 minutes until you reach desired strength.

Stir in black garlic purée, light soy sauce, mirin, sake, neutral oil, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep broth hot until serving. If you prefer spicy, reserve additional chili oil to add per bowl.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine sesame oil and neutral oil. Add peeled black garlic cloves and gently warm for 10 minutes to infuse flavor—do not fry to a crisp.

Using an immersion blender or food processor, blend the warmed oil and black garlic to a smooth purée. Return to very low heat and cook, stirring, until it darkens and becomes syrupy, 8–10 minutes. Stir in optional 5 ml soy sauce. Strain if you want a clear oil, or leave some purée bits for texture. Set aside.

Prepare marinade: in a bowl combine light soy, dark soy, mirin, sake, brown sugar, honey, minced garlic, minced ginger, and five-spice powder. Whisk until sugar dissolves.

Trim the pork shoulder into a single loaf-shaped piece and marinate in the mixture for minimum 2 hours, preferably overnight, in the refrigerator, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Remove pork from marinade and reserve marinade. Sear the pork in a hot skillet with 1 tbs vegetable oil until browned on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side.

Place seared pork on a roasting rack in a shallow pan. Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce oven to 160°C (320°F) and roast a further 20–30 minutes until internal temperature reaches 68–70°C (154–158°F). Baste periodically with reserved marinade.

Remove from oven, brush with honey, and let rest 15 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain into 4–6 mm slices. Keep warm or reheat briefly in broth when assembling bowls.

Bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil. Carefully lower room-temperature eggs and cook for 6 minutes for jammy yolks. Prepare an ice bath.

After 6 minutes, transfer eggs to the ice bath for 6–8 minutes to stop cooking. Gently peel shells.

Mix soy sauce, mirin, water, and sugar until sugar dissolves. Place peeled eggs in the marinade, making sure they are submerged (use a small container or zip-top with marinade). Refrigerate and marinate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Remove eggs, slice in half when ready to serve.

Rehydrate kikurage if using dried: soak in warm water 20–30 minutes until plump, then slice thinly. Blanch spinach in boiling water 15–20 seconds, then shock in ice water and squeeze out excess water.

Bring a separate pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook fresh ramen noodles per package instructions (usually 90–120 seconds for fresh noodles) until just al dente. Do not overcook. Drain quickly.

Warm bowls by rinsing with hot water. For each bowl, place about 1 tbs black garlic oil (mayu) in the bottom of the bowl and swirl. If serving spicy, add 1/2–1 tbs chili oil per bowl to taste.

Ladle 500–600 ml hot tonkotsu chicken-shoyu broth into each bowl over the oil (adjust quantity per bowl size).

Add one portion of drained noodles to each bowl. Arrange 3–4 slices char siu on top, a handful of blanched spinach, a few slices of kikurage, half a marinated soft egg, sliced scallions, a strip or two of nori, and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

Serve immediately while very hot. Provide extra chili oil or soy for seasoning. Leftover broth may be refrigerated up to 3 days.