Savory Midnight Noodles with Crispy Pork Belly
By Benjamin Moore Eubank
A deeply comforting and richly flavored noodle bowl featuring crispy pork belly, earthy shiitake mushrooms, and tender bok choy in a savory, umami-rich broth. Perfect for a cozy, intimate meal, echoing the warm, subdued atmosphere of a late evening.
Yield: 2 servings · Prep: 20 min · Cook: 25 min · Total: 45 min
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Sake
- 4 cups Chicken or Beef Broth
- for frying Neutral Oil
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
- 2 heads Bok Choy
- 1 tablespoon Dark Miso Paste
- 2 tablespoons Mirin
- 100 g Shiitake Mushrooms
- 200 g Pork Belly
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 200 g Thick Ramen Noodles
- 1 tablespoon Ginger
- 2 Scallions
- 4 tablespoons Soy Sauce
Steps
- Slice pork belly thinly and pat dry. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a little neutral oil. Fry pork belly until crispy and golden brown on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside, reserving a tablespoon of rendered fat.
- In the same skillet, add grated ginger and minced garlic to the reserved pork fat. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze with sake and mirin, scraping up any browned bits. Add soy sauce, chicken or beef broth, and miso paste. Bring to a simmer, stirring until miso is dissolved.
- Add sliced shiitake mushrooms to the broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook ramen noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Add bok choy to the simmering broth and cook for 2-3 minutes until just tender-crisp.
- To serve, divide cooked noodles into bowls. Ladle the hot broth with mushrooms and bok choy over the noodles.
- Top with crispy pork belly slices. Drizzle with sesame oil and garnish generously with chopped scallions.