Bitter Melon and Duck Confit Ramen

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the duck confit: Trim excess fat from duck legs. In a bowl, mix salt, black peppercorns, thyme, and crushed garlic. Rub this mixture all over the duck legs. Place duck legs in a shallow dish, cover, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours (up to 48 hours) to cure.

   ~30 min
2. 2

   Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Rinse duck legs thoroughly under cold water to remove the curing mixture. Pat dry with paper towels. Place duck legs in an oven-safe dish just large enough to hold them. Pour duck fat over the duck legs, ensuring they are fully submerged. Cover tightly with foil. Cook in the preheated oven for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender and easily pulls away from the bone.

   ~180 min
3. 3

   While duck is confiting, prepare the bitter melon. Cut bitter melons in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and pith with a spoon. Slice thinly. Blanch bitter melon slices in boiling salted water for 1 minute, then immediately plunge into ice water to stop the cooking and preserve their vibrant green color. Drain well.

   ~15 min
4. 4

   Prepare the ramen broth: In a large pot, combine chicken broth, dashi powder, soy sauce, mirin, sliced ginger, and star anise. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and let it gently simmer for at least 30 minutes to infuse flavors.

   ~30 min
5. 5

   Once duck is cooked, remove from duck fat using a slotted spoon. Reserve the duck fat for other uses. Shred the duck meat from the bones, discarding skin and bones. You can crisp up the shredded duck meat in a hot frying pan if desired, but it's not essential.

   ~10 min
6. 6

   Strain the ramen broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, discarding solids. Keep the broth warm.

   ~5 min
7. 7

   Cook ramen noodles according to package directions. Drain well.

   ~5 min
8. 8

   Assemble the ramen: Divide the cooked ramen noodles among four deep serving bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles. Top generously with shredded duck confit and blanched bitter melon slices. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds.

   ~5 min