ramen stock
- 1 brown onion, skin on and quartered
- 5 litres water
- 2 bulbs garlic, halved
- 1 x 5cm piece ginger, thinly sliced
- 2 leeks, trimmed and quartered
- 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1kg pork neck bones, cut into 5cm pieces+
- 1kg American-style pork spare ribs
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sake
- ¼ cup (60ml) mirin (Japanese rice wine)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 1 x 15cm piece dried kombu (dried seaweed)++, rinsed
- Place a large saucepan over high heat. Add the onion and cook, turning, for 6 minutes or until lightly charred.
- Add the water, garlic, ginger, leek, mushrooms and pork bones and ribs. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and bring to the boil, skimming the surface with a metal spoon occasionally to remove any foam.
- Remove the lid, reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 hours. Strain the broth, discarding the bones and vegetables.
- Return the stock to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the soy sauce, sake, mirin, salt and kombu and cook for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the kombu. Makes 2 litres.
+ Ask your butcher to cut these for you.
++ Kombu is a dried seaweed available from Asian supermarkets, specialty grocers and health food stores.
Tip: This stock will keep frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Defrost and heat in a large saucepan over medium heat.
© DONNA HAY GROUP
