Ramen

Hard Boiled Egg (you can go with soft boiled egg - you choose..  Just drop your time according to an egg timing chart you trust and you will be fine.  

Ingredients

• 4 eggs

• Water

• Ice

Directions

• Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with 1 inch of cold water.  The eggs should be in a single layer at the bottom of the pan.  

• Leave the pan uncovered.  Raise the flame to high and bring the water to a rolling boil.

• Then turn off the heat, cover the pan and let the eggs sit for 10 minutes (you can adjust your time at this step if you want soft boiled eggs).

• In the meantime, fill a large bowl with cold water and a tray of ice for an ice bath.  

• After the eggs have rested for 10 minutes in the hot water, transfer the eggs with a slotted spoon to the ice bath to stop them from cooking.  Let them sit for a few minutes to cool.  

• Peel the eggs cracking the shell and running them under cold water while you peel the shell off. 

• Set the eggs aside to put in the sauce with the pork after the pork is cooked.  See below.  

Pork simmered with Star Anise

Ingredients

• 1 leak

• 1 1/4 inch piece of ginger, unpeeled

• 1 lb. pork, choose a well marbled cut

• 3 star anise

• 7 oz sake

• 7 oz soy sauce

• 70g (2.5 oz) raw sugar

• 1 tablespoons oyster sauce

• 4 cups of water

• 4 boiled eggs (see above)

Directions

• Cut the leak into 3 pieces.

• Cut the ginger into 3 pieces.

• Cut the pork into 3 pieces.

• Place all ingredients, except the eggs, into a saucepan big enough to hold the pieces of pork in a single layer.  

• Set heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.  

• Cook the pork for 30 minutes with the lid on.  Then remove the lid and cook the pork for another 30 minutes with the lid off. 

• Take out the pork and set it aside.  Turn the cooking liquid to high and simmer the liquid until it is reduced by half.  

• Return the pork to the pan and turn to coat the pieces with the sauce.  Then add the boiled eggs, leaving them whole.  

• Turn off the heat and let the dish rest.  Plan to marinate the pork and eggs for about 2 hours in the sauce.  Begin to make the ramen when the eggs have marinated about 90 minutes.    

Ramen (this is for 4 servings)

Ingredients

Toppings

• 12 slices of pork simmered with star anise, 1/2 inch thick

• 4 inches of leek (white part)

• 4 tablespoons sesame oil

• 4 teaspoons soy sauce

• freshly ground pepper

Broth

• 56 oz of water

• 1 cup of sauce from the pork

• 4 tablespoons fish sauce

• freshly ground pepper

• 2 packages of ramen noodles (I found that one pack is good for 2 servings.  Feel free to adjust to your liking!)

• 4 green onions, finely chopped

Directions

• To prepare the toppings, cut the the pork into 1/2 inch thick pieces.  Pull the marinated eggs from the sauce and slice in half if you want your eggs sliced.  Set pork and eggs aside.  

• Combine the leek, sesame oil, soy sauce and some pepper in a small bowl and set aside. 

• Combine the broth ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat.  Once the broth comes to a boil, lower the heat and keep the broth hot.  

• Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package.  Drain well.  Serve the noodles immediately after cooking or they will lose their texture and flavor.  

• Place the noodles in a large bowl.  Pour the hot broth over the noodles, then add the toppings, green onion and more pepper.  It will be hot!  Enjoy!