Miso Ramen

Prepare the stock: blanch the Pork Bones and Chicken Wings in a large pot of boiling Water for 5 minutes to remove impurities, then drain and rinse the bones and pot.

Return the cleaned bones to the pot, add fresh Water, a piece of Kombu, several Dried Shiitake, a few slices of Ginger and the white parts of the Green Onion Greens (save some greens for garnish), then bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 3–4 hours, skimming foam occasionally.

While the stock simmers, make the miso tare: in a bowl whisk together Red Miso, White Miso, Soy Sauce, Sake, Mirin, Toasted Sesame Paste and Sugar until smooth, then loosen with a ladle of hot strained stock so it becomes pourable.

Make the chili-sesame aromatics: warm Lard in a small pan, add minced Garlic, finely chopped Onion and a little grated ginger, sauté until fragrant and softened, then stir in Doubanjiang to bloom the chili flavors; remove from heat and keep warm.

Strain the finished stock through a fine sieve into a clean pot, discard solids (reserve shiitake if you like as a topping), taste and adjust seasoning with a splash of Soy Sauce or a pinch of salt if needed, and keep the broth hot but not boiling.

Blanch and prepare toppings: quickly blanch Bean Sprouts and Sweet Corn Kernels in boiling water for 30–60 seconds and drain; warm and slice the Chashu Pork thinly; halve the Ajitsuke Tamago; cut the Negi into thin rounds; and cut Nori Sheets to size if desired.

Cook the Fresh Curly Ramen Noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions (usually 1–2 minutes) until al dente, then drain well — reserve a little noodle water if you like for loosening the bowl.

Assemble each bowl: spoon a couple of tablespoons of the miso tare into the bottom of a warmed bowl, add a ladle or two of hot strained stock and stir to dissolve the tare, then add a spoonful of the chili-sesame aromatics and a drizzle of the flavored lard/oil.

Add the cooked noodles to the broth, then arrange slices of Chashu Pork, a scoop of Bean Sprouts, Sweet Corn Kernels, some Menma, half an Ajitsuke Tamago, sliced Negi and a sheet of Nori Sheets on top.

Finish with a small pat of Unsalted Butter if you like a richer bowl, a pinch of White Pepper, and a sprinkle of Toasted Sesame Seeds; serve immediately while hot and aromatic.