Chicken Ramen

Method

1. 01

   Step 1: Infuse the broth

   Slice the ginger thinly and crush the garlic with the flat of a knife. Split the green onions: whites go into the broth, greens get sliced for serving. Put the stock, ginger, garlic, onion whites, shiitake and kombu in a pan, bring to a bare simmer, lift out the kombu and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.

2. 02

   Step 2: Crisp the chicken

   Pat the thighs dry and salt them. Lay them skin-side down in a cold pan with the oil, turn the heat to medium and cook for 8–10 minutes until the skin is deep golden and crisp. Flip and cook for 5–6 minutes more: the thickest part must reach 74°C (165°F) and the juices run clear. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice.

3. 03

   Step 3: Cook the eggs

   Lower the eggs straight from the fridge into boiling water and cook for exactly 6½ minutes. Plunge into iced water for 5 minutes, then peel carefully. The yolks will be thick and jammy.

4. 04

   Step 4: Make the tare

   Warm the soy sauce, mirin and sake in a small pan for 1 minute to cook off the alcohol. This is the tare — the salty base that goes into each bowl rather than into the pot of broth.

5. 05

   Step 5: Strain the broth

   Strain the broth through a sieve and keep it hot over low heat. Stem the shiitake and slice the caps. Halve the bok choy lengthways.

6. 06

   Step 6: Cook the noodles

   Cook the noodles in a large pan of unsalted water for 30 seconds less than the packet says, adding the bok choy for the last minute. Drain well — noodles are cooked separately so their starch doesn’t cloud the broth.

7. 07

   Step 7: Build the bowls

   Put 2 tbsp tare and ½ tsp sesame oil into each warmed bowl, pour in 350–400 ml hot broth and stir. Add the noodles, lift and fold them with chopsticks, then top with chicken, halved eggs, bok choy, shiitake, green onion, nori and sesame seeds.