Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs (900g) chicken bones (preferably with necks and wings)
  • 8 cups (1.9 L) cold water
  • 1 small onion, halved
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger, sliced
  • 1 dried kombu (kelp) strip (~4x4 inches / 10x10 cm)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) dried white fish flakes (optional for umami)
  • 2 tbsp (30 g) fine sea salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce (optional, for color and depth)
  • 1 tbsp (15 g) fine sea salt (for tare)
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) sake (optional, for tare)
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) mirin (sweet rice wine for tare)
  • 14 oz (400 g) fresh ramen noodles (or substitute with dried ramen noodles)
  • 4 soft-boiled eggs
  • 8 slices chashu pork (braised pork belly) or cooked chicken slices
  • 2 scallions, finely sliced
  • 1 sheet nori (seaweed), cut into strips
  • ½ cup (120 g) bamboo shoots (menma)
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Broth: Rinse chicken bones, add them to a large pot with cold water, onion, garlic, ginger, and kombu. Simmer gently for 2.5–3 hours, adding dried white fish flakes 10 minutes before finishing. Strain the broth.
  2. Make the Tare: Combine fine sea salt, sake, and mirin in a small saucepan. Warm gently until the salt dissolves, then set aside.
  3. Cook the Noodles: Boil fresh ramen noodles for 2-3 minutes according to package instructions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
  4. Prepare Toppings: Soft-boil eggs, warm the chashu pork or chicken slices, and prepare scallions, nori, and bamboo shoots.
  5. Assemble the Ramen Bowls: Place 1–2 tbsp of tare in each bowl, ladle hot broth over it, add the noodles, then arrange the toppings and garnish with scallions and toasted sesame seeds.