Pork Tonkotsu Ramen

1. Heat your oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/Gas 3. Fill and boil your kettle. Break 2 star anise into smaller pieces and scatter them into a roasting tin or casserole dish. Add 2 bay leaves. Slice the pork belly strips in half, then pop them on top of the aromatics. Peel and grate over the garlic and ginger. Sprinkle over a pinch of salt.

2. Pour 300ml boiling water over the pork belly strips. Cover the tin or dish with a lid, or cover with foil and scrunch it to the sides to seal. Slide into the oven and slowly roast for 2 hrs till the pork belly is meltingly tender.

3. After 2 hrs, take the pork out of the oven and remove the lid or foil. Set aside while you make your ramen (see our tip on reheating the pork if you want to roast it the day before).

4. Fill a large pan with water and bring to the boil. When boiling, drop in the noodles and cook for 5 mins. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set to one side.

5. Slice any larger mushrooms, keeping as many whole as possible. Thinly slice the white parts of the pak choi. Cut the leafy greens in half. Trim and finely slice the spring onions.

6. Place a large frying pan or wok on a high heat. Add 1 tbsp rapeseed oil to the pan, then add the mushrooms. Stir fry for 2-3 mins till they have slightly softened and some are lightly golden. Lift them out of the pan. Add the pak choi's white stems and stir fry for 2 mins till softened. Lift on to the plate, keeping them separate from the mushrooms.Place a large frying pan or wok on a high heat. Add 1 tbsp rapeseed oil to the pan, then add the mushrooms. Stir fry for 2-3 mins till they have slightly softened and some are lightly golden. Lift them out of the pan. Add the pak choi's white stems and stir fry for 2 mins till softened. Lift on to the plate, keeping them separate from the mushrooms.

7. Pour the tonkotsu broth into a pan and gently heat till simmering. Drop in the pak choi leaves and cook for 1 min. Lift out using a pair of tongs on to a plate.

8. Divide the noodles between a couple of large bowls. Ladle over the hot tonkotsu ramen broth. Slice the pork belly and add to the bowls. Arrange the mushrooms and pak choi in the bowls. Cut the eggs in half and add two halves to each bowl. Sprinkle over the spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve with a dash or two of tamari.

9. Prefer A Pickled Egg? Instead of boiled egg, you can swap in some tangy Tamari Pickled Eggs.

10. Get Ahead You can roast the pork the day before you want to make your ramen, and keep it in the fridge. To reheat it, pop it into a frying pan with a little oil and fry for a couple of mins on each side. Slice and add to your soup.