Tokushima ramen

Step 1: Put 6 ¾ cups unsalted pork or chicken stock, 3 cloves garlic and ½ onion in a large pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer gently, uncovered, while you cook the pork.

Step 2: Bring a small pan of water to the boil, drop in 10 ½ oz pork belly, skin removed, stir to separate the slices and boil for 1 minute. Drain and rinse off the grey scum.

Step 3: Put the pork back in the small pan with 4 tbsp dark soy sauce, 3 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp mirin, ¾ cup water and ⅔ oz ginger. Mirin contains a little alcohol; for an alcohol-free version use 1 tbsp more sugar and 2 tbsp more water instead.

Step 4: Simmer over medium-low heat, uncovered, stirring now and then, until the pork is tender and glossy and the liquid has reduced by about half. Common mistake: walking away from the pan at the end; the sugar-heavy liquid goes from glossy to burnt in a minute, so stir and watch it closely once it starts to thicken.

Step 5: Lift the onion and garlic out of the stock. Pour in all the pork simmering liquid, holding back the pork and ginger, then add 3 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp sugar. Taste: it should be dark, sweet and quite salty. Keep it hot over low heat.

Step 6: Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Blanch 7 oz bean sprouts for 30 seconds, lift them out with a sieve and drain.

Step 7: Use very fresh eggs, ideally pasteurised; raw egg is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. If you would rather have a cooked egg, simmer 4 very fresh eggs, ideally pasteurised in the broth for 3 to 4 minutes until the whites are set, or soft-boil them for 7 minutes and peel.

Step 8: Cook 1 lb fresh medium-thin ramen noodles in the same boiling water for the time on the pack, then drain well and shake off the water. Tokushima noodles are served soft rather than firm.

Step 9: Warm 4 deep bowls with hot water and tip it out. Ladle in the hot broth, add the noodles and lift them with chopsticks so they lie neatly.

Step 10: Top each bowl with bean sprouts, a heap of sweet pork, 2 ⅞ oz seasoned bamboo shoots (menma) and 4 spring onions. Make a hollow in the middle and crack in a raw egg, or add your cooked egg. Serve at once, with 4 bowls cooked short-grain rice on the side if you like.