Tontoktsu Ramen with Chashu

Method

1. Tightly roll pork belly into a roll and tie with cooking twine.
2. Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add pork belly and sear on all sides until golden brown. Remove.
3. To a slow cooker or heavy-bottomed pot, add 3 spring onions, ginger slices, 250 ml cooking sake, 250 ml soy sauce, 250 ml mirin, and 500 ml water. Add the pork belly to the pot.
4. Bring the liquid to the boil, then reduce to a simmer or slow cook for 4 hours, turning the roll every 30 minutes to ensure even cooking and colouring.
5. While the pork is cooking, cook the eggs. Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan. Gently lower the eggs into the water and cook for 7 minutes. Remove and cool the eggs in an ice bath for 15 minutes before carefully peeling them.
6. When the pork has finished cooking, let it cool in the liquid until just warm. Set aside 500 ml of the cooking liquid. Refrigerate the pork with the remaining cooking liquid for 8 hours or overnight.
7. Place the peeled eggs in the reserved cooking liquid and refrigerate overnight.
8. When ready to serve, remove the pork belly from the liquid. Slice into 5 mm pieces. Optionally, sear each side of the pork belly slices with a butane torch for a smokey flavour.
9. Remove the eggs from the liquid and cut each into half.
10. Prepare the instant ramen according to the instructions on the packet.
11. To serve, add one serve of ramen to each bowl. Place 3 slices of chashu, 2 egg halves, and 2 slices of nori in each bowl. Garnish with sliced spring onions and serve immediately.