[furryoldlobster]

Topic is to post pics (possibly directions too!) of delicious home-made dishes.

First up:  Home-made Ramen (although the noodles are storebought)


Ingredients:
1lbs pork shoulder, or loin
1 Roasted Chicken
2 tsp Dashi powder or flakes
2-3 tsp Sesame Oil
1-2 tbs Olive Oil
1-2 carrots
2-3 sprigs of green onion
2-3 tbs Soy Sauce
1 package of favorite buckwheat ramen noodles


Directions:
1. Take apart the chicken (its easiest to just use your hands) attempting to have larger chunks of chicken (especially the breast) for later soup toppings.  The goal is to have a bowl of tinier chicken bits, a handful of larger chunks, and a bowl full of chicken bones and skin.

2.  Chop up onion and carrots.  Since these are being used to flavor the broth, its best to halve the carrots vertically to make sure all the delicious carrot flavor seeps into the broth.

3.  Salt and pepper pork to chef's taste.  Use some cooking twine to tie up the roast every two inches.  This keeps it nice and tight, which makes for perfect compact slices as a topping.

4.  Heat up sesame and olive oil in a large pot (at least 5 quarts).  In a separate, smaller pot, boil 2 cups of water and add the dashi.

5.  Once oil heated, add the pork.  Brown on all sides for 10-12 minutes.  By this point the dashi broth should be boiling.  Carefully add it to the pot with now browned pork.  Even at its temperature the broth will still steam up.  Be not afraid!

6.  Add enough water to fill the pot three-quarters of the way to the top.  Add the green onion, carrots, chicken bones, skin, and soy sauce.

7.  Allow to simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

8.  Remove the pork.  Allow it to cool to room temp, wrap in plastic, and cool in your fridge.  It makes the meat much easier to slice.

9.  The broth is technically done at this point, but I prefer to let it continue to simmer overnight.

10.  After desired cook time, the next step is to strain all the nonsense (bones, skin, veggies, other particulates) out of the broth using a colander.  Season to taste (probably using salt, soy sauce, and pepper).

11.  Boil noodles in water.  Strain Noodles.  Add to individual bowls, not to the pot of broth.  They'll soak up the broth if left in it for too long.  You'll end up with nonsense.

12.  Add your favorite toppings to the individual bowls.  I prefer using a few slices of the pork, chicken chunks, thinly sliced carrot, some corn, boiled egg, and green onion, but this part is up to you.  Some won't eat ramen without fish cake!

Congratulations you've got a good soup base.  Last time I cooked this, night 1 was ramen night.  I had quite a few leftovers from the toppings.  Night 2, I put everything together in a large pot, added a little chicken broth and some wontons, and suddenly, I had delicious wonton soup.