Spicy Miso Ramen with Crispy Pork Belly

Instructions

1. 1

   Score the skin of the pork belly with a sharp knife. Rub generously with salt and pepper. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, skin-side up. Roast in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for 2.5 hours, or until tender. Increase oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) for the last 15-20 minutes to crisp the skin.

   ~165 min
2. 2

   While the pork belly roasts, prepare the broth. In a large pot, combine chicken stock, minced garlic, and sliced ginger. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

   ~30 min
3. 3

   In a large bowl, whisk together white miso paste, red miso paste, gochujang, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and chili oil.

   ~5 min
4. 4

   Strain the ginger and garlic from the chicken stock. Ladle about 2 cups of hot stock into the miso mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour this back into the pot with the remaining stock. Heat gently over low heat, ensuring it does not boil, for about 15 minutes to meld the flavors.

   ~20 min
5. 5

   Boil the ramen noodles according to package directions. Drain well.

   ~10 min
6. 6

   Hard-boil the eggs for 7 minutes. Immediately plunge them into an ice bath. Once cooled, peel and slice in half.

   ~10 min
7. 7

   Once the pork belly is roasted and the skin is crisp, let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing into thick pieces.

   ~10 min
8. 8

   Prepare the scallions by thinly slicing them. Toast the nori sheets lightly over a flame or in a dry pan until fragrant.

   ~3 min
9. 9

   To serve, divide the cooked ramen noodles among four large bowls. Ladle the hot spicy miso broth over the noodles. Top with sliced pork belly, halved eggs, scallions, and nori sheets.

   ~5 min
10. 10

    In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Drizzle a small amount of this slurry over the crisp pork belly just before serving to enhance crispiness.

    ~2 min