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TONKOTSU RAMEN creamy milky broth with chashu soft-cooked egg and nori
Olivia Farnsworth

Tonkotsu Ramen: Easy and Delicious Noodle Feast

Tonkotsu Ramen is a rich and flavorful Japanese noodle dish featuring a collagen-rich, milky pork-based broth that is simmered for hours to develop its signature depth. Embrace the korean ramen aesthetic and spicy ramen aesthetic with this comforting bowl, perfect for ramen photography enthusiasts who want to capture the beauty of traditional Japanese cuisine with a modern twist.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 650

Ingredients
  

  • Good quality ramen noodles
  • Chashu pork (recipe here)
  • 5 to 6 pcs Boiled eggs
  • Negi (spring onions), chopped
  • Menma (fermented bamboo shoots), optional
  • Roasted Nori squares
  • 1 1/2 kg pork trotter
  • 1 kg pork bones
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 whole garlic, minced
  • thumb sized ginger, sliced thinly
  • 2 pcs leeks, roughly chopped
  • 6 pcs dried shiitake mushrooms
  • oil
  • salt

Method
 

  1. In a large stock pot add pork trotters and pork bones then fill it with water enough to cover everything. Bring it to a boil and continue to boil until the scum appears on top. Turn the heat off then drain.
  2. Clean the pork bones and trotters in running water removing any scum that is stuck on it.
  3. In clean stock pot add oil then sauté onion, garlic and ginger.
  4. Add the pork trotters, bones, leeks, dried shiitake mushrooms and salt. Fill it again with water enough to cover everything (roughly 4 to 5 litres), cover with heavy lid then bring it to a boil.
  5. Once boiling reduce to simmering heat and simmer for 4 hours, check water levels making sure it does not dry out, adding water if necessary.
  6. After 4 hours, turn the heat off then strain the liquid using a fine sieve into a separate pot, reserve the bones.
  7. At this point you need to have at least 3 litres of stock if not add water.
  8. Place pot on stove top then bring it to a boil, once boiling lower to simmering heat.
  9. Scrape off the very tender fat and skin from the trotter bones until you have around 1 1/2 cups of tender pork skin.
  10. Place them in a bowl then using a hand blender puree them until smooth in consistency, pour this into the simmering soup.
  11. Continue to simmer the broth for 2 more hours, season with salt then turn heat off.
  12. Cook ramen noodles according to packet instructions.
  13. Place ramen noodles in a bowl then pour the pork broth.
  14. Top with thinly sliced Chashu pork, Boiled eggs, chopped spring onions, nori and menma.

Notes

  • For the best flavor, simmer the broth slowly and avoid boiling vigorously to ensure clarity and rich taste. You can prepare the broth a day ahead to let flavors intensify. Serve immediately after assembling for the perfect noodle texture.