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1
prepare the pork belly Preheat the oven to 425.
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2
Rub the pork belly on both sides with the oil, season with salt and pepper and set it on a rack in a medium roasting pan.
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3
Add the stock to the pan, cover and roast the pork for about 2 1/2 hours, until very tender.
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4
Let the pork rest for 30 minutes.
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5
Strain the rendered fat through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl; the stock will have evaporated.
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6
Cut the pork into 1/2-inch-thick slices and keep warm.
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7
meanwhile, make the sofrito In a large saucepan, heat the oil.
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8
Add the onion and eggplant and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft, about 1 hour.
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9
Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have almost melted, about 1 hour.
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10
Stir in the chipotle powder and cook for 15 minutes longer; season with salt.
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11
Transfer the sofrito to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
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12
Drain the sofrito in a sieve; discard the oil or reserve it for another use.
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13
make the shoyu tare In a medium saucepan, heat the oil.
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14
Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
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15
Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.
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16
Add the soy sauce, sake and mirin and bring to a boil; simmer for 2 minutes.
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17
Add the stock and dashi powder and simmer for 3 minutes.
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18
Keep warm.
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19
make the toasted rye noodles Preheat the oven to 275.
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20
In a small ovenproof skillet lined with aluminum foil, spread the baking soda in an even layer and bake for 1 hour.
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21
Let cool.
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22
make the toasted rye noodles Meanwhile, in a small nonstick skillet, toast the rye flour over moderately low heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 4 minutes.
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23
Using a rubber spatula, scrape the toasted rye flour into the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.
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24
Add the bread flour and cake flour.
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25
In a medium bowl, stir the baked baking soda and salt with the cool water until dissolved.
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26
With the mixer at low speed, slowly blend the baking soda solution into the flour in three additions.
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27
Mix, scraping down the bowl frequently, until the dough starts to come together.
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28
At medium speed, knead the dough until it forms a shaggy ball, about 10 minutes.
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29
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
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30
make the toasted rye noodles Pat the dough into a disk and cut into 8 equal pieces.
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31
Work with 1 piece at a time and keep the rest covered with a damp kitchen towel: Flatten the dough about 1/4 inch thick.
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32
Roll the dough through a pasta machine at the widest setting.
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33
Fold the dough in thirds, like a letter, and roll it again at the widest setting.
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34
Repeat this folding and rolling until the dough feels smooth and elastic, about 3 more times.
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35
Roll the dough through successively narrower settings, two times per setting without folding, until the sheet of dough is 1/16 inch thick.
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36
Cut the sheet of dough into roughly 1-foot lengths and transfer them to a baking sheet or work sur-face lightly dusted with cornstarch.
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37
Lightly dust the pasta sheets with cornstarch and cover with a dry kitchen towel.
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38
Repeat with the remaining dough, slightly overlapping the pasta sheets on the baking sheet.
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39
make the toasted rye noodles Run each sheet of pasta through the spaghetti cutter.
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40
Gently toss the noodles with cornstarch and spread them on a baking sheet or work surface in a single layer in 8 even portions (roughly 5 ounces each).
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41
make the toasted rye noodles To build a bowl of ramen: Pour 1/3 cup of the warm shoyu tare and 1 teaspoon of the reserved rendered pork fat into a bowl.
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42
Boil one portion of noodles in unsalted water just until al dente, about 1 minute.
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43
(If you're assembling multiple bowls of ramen, you can cook up to 4 portions of noodles together at the same time.)
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44
Drain the noodles well and add to the bowl.
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45
Top with 1/4 cup of the chile-eggplant sofrito and a slice or two of pork belly.
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46
Garnish with scallions and chipotle powder.
