Braised Ramen with Pork and Zarsai

Name: Braised Ramen with Pork and Zarsai
Yield: serves 2
Ingredients: 1 cup thinly sliced pork loin; 1 tablespoon sake; 1 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce; 2 cups Ramen Chicken Stock (page 10); 3 fluid ounces Shoyu Base (page 10); 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon minced garlic; 1/3 cup thinly sliced bamboo shoots; 1/2 cup thinly sliced green bell pepper; 1/2 cup zarsai (Chinese pickled vegetables); 3 tablespoons cornstarch; 3 tablespoons cold water; 2 (7-ounce) pieces frozen ramen noodles; 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, white part only; Hot chili oil

December 9, 2011

When I was the chef of Tribute, in Farmington Hills, Michigan, I was always hungry by the time my restaurant closed. (Little known fact: chefs never have time to eat!) So I’d usually stop by a local Chinese place on the way home, which is where I discovered this delicious dish. The chef there introduced me to cooking with zarsai, which are salty and pungent Chinese pickles, usually radishes or a kind of bok choy. Eaten on their own, they make you thirst for a beer, but cooked, they mellow and add great flavor to a dish. I love serving these noodles in a clay pot, or donabe. It gives it a warm and comforting touch, especially in wintertime.

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