Abura Soba with Crispy Pork

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 7 ounces ramen noodles (fresh or dried)
• 6 ounces pork belly, skin-on
• 2 whole eggs
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
• 2 whole scallions
• 1 sheet nori (seaweed sheet)
• ½ teaspoon salt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Fill a small bowl with the soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, and minced garlic; stir well to combine the tare sauce, then set it aside.

2. 2

   Cut the pork belly crosswise into thin slices, about 1/8-inch thick, so they will cook quickly and crisp up in the pan.

3. 3

   Slice the scallions on the bias (at a 45-degree angle) into 1-inch pieces, separating white bottoms from green tops; set both aside.

4. 4

   Cut the nori sheet in half with scissors, then stack the halves and cut them into thin strips about 1/4-inch wide.

5. 5

   Bring a pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil over high heat, then add the ramen noodles and stir immediately to separate them.

6. 6

   Cook the noodles according to the package instructions until they are al dente (usually 3–4 minutes for fresh, 4–5 for dried), then drain thoroughly in a colander and set aside.

7. 7

   Return the empty pot to high heat, add water until it reaches 2 inches deep, and bring it to a gentle boil for the eggs.

8. 8

   Carefully lower the eggs into the boiling water using a spoon and cook for 6 minutes until the whites are set but the yolks remain runny.

9. 9

   Transfer the eggs to an ice bath (a bowl filled with cold water and ice cubes) and let them sit for 2 minutes to stop them from cooking further.

10. 10

    Gently peel the cooled eggs under cool running water, working from the wider end where the air pocket makes them easier to separate from the shell.

11. 11

    Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and flows quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

12. 12

    Add the pork belly slices to the hot oil and cook, stirring and breaking them apart every 30 seconds, until the edges are deeply browned and crispy, about 3–4 minutes total.

13. 13

    Remove the pork to a paper-towel-lined plate and season it with a pinch of salt and pepper; discard most of the rendered fat, leaving about 1 teaspoon in the skillet.

14. 14

    Return the skillet to medium heat and add the white parts of the scallions; stir constantly for 30 seconds until they smell fragrant.

15. 15

    Add the cooked noodles to the skillet with the scallions and the 3 tablespoons of tare sauce; toss continuously for 1–2 minutes until every strand is coated with sauce and the noodles are heated through.

16. 16

    Divide the dressed noodles between two bowls, mounding them in the center of each.

17. 17

    Top each bowl with half of the crispy pork, arranging it in a loose pile on top of the noodles.

18. 18

    Gently place one soft-boiled egg on top of the pork in each bowl, positioning it so the runny yolk is visible.

19. 19

    Sprinkle the green scallion pieces and nori strips over the top of each bowl in any pattern you like.

20. 20

    Serve immediately while the noodles are still warm and the pork is still crispy; mix everything together as you eat.

Tools you’ll need

• large pot
• colander
• small bowl
• cutting board
• sharp knife
• scissors
• large skillet (12-inch recommended)
• wooden spoon or chopsticks for stirring
• slotted spoon
• paper towels
• two serving bowls
• ice bath (bowl + ice cubes)

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