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CLOSECrispy Pork Belly & Noodle Ramen inspired by Ponyo (2008)
Ponyo (2008), Ponyo is excited to try ramen. (58 mins, 10 seconds)
Cook up a Studio Ghibli special with this steaming bowl of Japanese comfort food. Crispy roasted pork belly, a soft-boiled egg and noodles in a homemade miso and ginger broth – it doesn’t get much better than that.
Ingredients
For 2 people [double for 4]
- 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 5g toasted sesame seeds
- 300g British pork belly
- 15g fresh root ginger
- 2 spring onions
- 2 British free-range eggs
- 2 wheat noodle nests
- 1 tsp five-spice mix
- 2 tbsp white miso paste
- 2 carrots
- 2 garlic cloves
- 8ml soy sauce
You’ll also need
- Salt, sugar, vegetable oil
Cooking instructions 60 mins
For 2 people [double for 4]
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C (fan)/ gas 6. Boil a kettle. Score the fatty side of the pork belly in a criss-cross pattern by drawing a sharp knife through the skin, deep enough to reach the meat below.
Step 2
Combine the five-spice, 1/2 tsp [1 tsp] salt and 1 tbsp [2 tbsp] vegetable oil in a small bowl – this is your five-spice mix. Rub the five-spice mix deep into the criss-cross pattern. Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a medium heat. Once very hot, add the pork belly, fat-side down and cook for 3-5 min or until nicely coloured, then flip and cook for 2 min on the other side.
Step 3
Transfer the browned pork belly, fat-side up, to a deep baking tray (lay it on tin foil to avoid mess!). Add 300ml [600ml] boiled water to the tray. Put it in the oven for 40-45 min, or until it’s crisp on the outside and cooked through (no pink meat).
Step 4
Gently add the eggs to a large pot of boiled water over a high heat. Once boiling, boil for exactly 7 min, for perfect, mid-boiled eggs. Meanwhile, fill a bowl of cold water with ice (Gousto’s ice packs are perfect!). Once the eggs are done, drain and add them to your ice water and set them aside until step 7 (save the pot for later).
Step 5
While the eggs are cooling, peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and finely chop (or grate) the ginger. Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic. Trim, then finely slice the spring onions. Top, tail and peel the carrots, then continue to peel lengths until you end up with a pile of carrot ribbons. Re-boil a kettle
Step 6
Once the pork belly is cooked, transfer to a chopping board and leave to rest for 5-10 min. Return the reserved pot to a medium heat with 1 tbsp [2 tbsp] vegetable oil. Once hot, add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 min. Add the miso paste, soy sauce, chilli flakes (can’t handle the heat? Go easy!), 1 tsp [2 tsp] sugar and 600ml [1.2L] boiled water – this is your broth.
Step 7
Add any resting juices from the baking tray to the broth, then add the wholewheat noodles and cook for 5-7 min or until tender. While the noodles are cooking, peel and cut the cooled eggs in half. Once rested, slice the pork belly as thinly as you can using a sharp knife. Divide the carrot ribbons, wholewheat noodles and broth between deep bowls. Top with the sliced pork belly, spring onion, eggs and garnish with the sesame seeds – this is your crispy pork belly & noodle ramen. Enjoy!
