JAMIE'S NOT SO INSTANT RAMEN

Turn a packet of instant ramen noodles into something game-changing! This draws flavour from bacon and pork fillet to make the ultimate comforting broth. Don't forget to prep your soy eggs the day before- they really do add a different dimension to the bowl.

Ingredients

2 large eggs

200 ml dark soy sauce

100 ml mirin

50 g caster sugar

2 chicken stock cubes

3 star anise

1 tsp white miso paste

1 tbsp light soy sauce

4 cloves garlic

20 g ginger

100 g baby button mushrooms

3 rashers smoked streaky bacon

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 pork fillet (whole fillet about 500g)

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

3 spring onions

100 g instant ramen noodles

1 tbsp white sesame seeds toasted

1 tbsp chilli oil

Method

Put a small saucepan of water over a high heat and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, carefully lower in the eggs and cook for 6 minutes, then cool under cold running water. Pour the soy sauce and mirin into a jug or small bowl. Add the caster sugar and stir to dissolve. Peel the eggs from their shell and place them into the soy mix. Cover with Cling Film and leave them to soak in the fridge for as long as possible, up to 12 hours.
Pour 2l of water into a medium saucepan and put it over a high heat. As it comes to a boil add the stock cubes, star anise, soy sauce and miso paste. Peel and bash the garlic, slice the ginger and brush any dirt from the mushrooms. Add all of these to the pan and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for 10 minutes before turning the heat off and leaving it to infuse for another 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180oC.
While the stock infuses dice the bacon into 1/2cm cubes and put a frying put over a high heat. Add the bacon to the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes, moving it regularly, until it's dark and crispy. Transfer it to a plate lined with kitchen towel and set it aside for later.
Pour the vegetable oil and sesame oil into the same pan and put it back over a high heat. Once it's almost smoking hot add the pork fillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes without moving, until it turns a deep golden brown on the bottom. Turn and repeat until the fillet is a deep golden brown all over then pour in the soy sauce, turning the pork to coat it. Transfer the whole pan to the oven for 10- 12 minutes, until the pork is just cooked through but still slightly pink on the inside.
Top and tail the spring onions then cut them crosswise into thirds. Thinly slice the thirds lengthwise into julienne strips then store them in iced water until needed. They should begin to curl up.
Strain the stock through a sieve into another saucepan. Pick the mushrooms out of the sieved ingredients and add them back into the broth then put it over a high heat to reheat. Once boiling, add the noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes, until they are just soft.
Ladle the broth, noodles and mushrooms into large bowls. Thinly slice the pork into 2-3mm slices and fan them over the noodles, at the edge of the bowl. Cut the soy eggs in half and place 2 halves into each bowl. Pile the spring onions into the middle of the bowls then scatter over the sesame seeds and bacon bits.
Drizzle over a little chilli oil and serve!