Miso ramen

• 1.6 l6 3/4 cups chicken-and-pork ramen broth (see the ramen recipe) or unsalted chicken stock, hot
• 160 gabout 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp miso, a mix of red (aka) and light miso, or a Hokkaido-style rice miso; avoid sweet Saikyō or Hatchō miso
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds, ground, some left whole
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1 tsp doubanjiang (chilli bean paste), optional
• 40 g3 tbsp lard (or toasted sesame oil)
• 200 g7 oz minced pork
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 150 gabout 2 cups green cabbage, cut in bite-size pieces
• 300 gabout 3 1/2 cups bean sprouts (moyashi), rinsed and drained
• 4 portions (about 600 g)4 portions (about 21 oz) fresh ramen noodles, medium-thick, wavy, firm (Sapporo style)
• 120 g3/4 cup sweetcorn kernels, optional
• 40 g3 tbsp butter, optional, a pat per bowl
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 80 gabout 1/2 cup menma (seasoned bamboo shoots), optional

Method

1. 1

   1. Make the miso tare: mix the miso, garlic, ginger, sesame, sugar, sake and doubanjiang (if using) into a smooth paste.

2. 2

   2. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil for the noodles, and keep the broth hot in another pot.

3. 3

   3. Heat the lard in a wok or wide pan over high heat until it shimmers.

4. 4

   4. Add the minced pork and stir-fry, breaking it up, until it is no longer pink and starts to brown at the edges.

5. 5

   5. Add the onion and cabbage and toss over high heat for 1 minute, then add the bean sprouts and toss 1 minute more; the vegetables should be glossy and just wilted, still crunchy.

6. 6

   6. Pour the hot broth into the wok and bring it to a boil so the lard and the browned bits flavour the soup, about 1 minute.

7. 7

   7. Lower the heat, ladle a little of the soup into the tare to loosen it, then stir the tare into the wok; once the miso is in, keep the soup just below a boil so it does not turn grainy.

8. 8

   8. Boil the noodles for the time on the packet, usually 2 to 3 minutes for thick noodles, and drain them very well.

9. 9

   9. Divide the noodles among warmed bowls and ladle the soup over them.

10. 10

    10. Pile the pork and vegetables in the centre and finish with scallions, and menma, corn and a pat of butter if you like; serve at once.