Last week, I finally got the grip and took out my pasta machine which had been untouched for a while. Made a batch of fresh pasta and then I thought let’s experiment and make some ramen, it has been a long time in my to cook list. And for the first time, it came out beautifully, I feel it’s even easier than making Italian pasta. If you let the ramen dough rest in the fridge overnight, it makes it easier to roll out. The rolled out ramen freezes well. You don’t even need to sprinkle flour, simply wrap them up in portions with cling film, keep in a plastic box and put in the freezer, done. I am so excited that I am now keeping the pasta machine clamping on the wooden table as I foresee myself to make more ramen in the common weeks. I am trying to control myself not to freeze too many portions as they are best when cooked freshly rolled. One quicker way I found is to prepare a few dough in advance and keep in freezer, in this way, whenever I crave for ramen, I have the dough standing by. Thanks very much to Marc @No Recipes for sharing his homemade ramen noodle recipe. I have got to crack on a batch of ramen broth.

Since making a Japanese ramen broth takes a long time, I came up some ideas of eating the fresh ramen, here are just some examples and of course the possibilities are endless:

i) Taiwanese braised minced pork (recipe see below)

ii) Dan dan noodle (spicy sesame sauce)

ii) Yakisoba

iv) Chinese preserved vegetables & shredded pork, soup noodle or stir fried

Taiwanese Braised Minced Pork (台式肉燥麵)

Ingredients:

• 250g minced pork
• 6-10 Chinese dried mushroom, soaked in water, stalk removed, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup or approx2-3 shallots, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup white part of spring onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup dried shrimps, soaked in hot water for 1 hour, discard water, then finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fried onion (you can buy this in Asian groceries store)
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 2 Boiled eggs (optional)

Seasonings:

• 2-3 tbsp Dark soy sauce
• 1/3 cup Light soy sauce
• 1 small piece rock sugar (approx. 3cm x 3cm)
• 1 tbsp rice wine
• 1/2 tsp chinese five spice powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Pinches of white pepper
• Pinches chili powder (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat up some cooking oil in a pan at high heat, add in the chopped shallots and white parts of spring onion, stir fry for half a minute or so, and then add in the minced pork, keep stirring, when the pork is almost cooked, add in the dried shrimp and mushroom. Keep stir frying, if necessary, turn the heat down to medium high.
   
2. When the pork is cooked and looked yellow brown, add in all the seasonings except the rock sugar, mix well. Pour in the water and rock sugar, bring to boil and stir until the rock sugar is completely melted. Then cover and simmer at low heat for 1-1.5 hrs. Check from time to time by stirring to avoid burning at the bottom of the pan.
3. You can add the boiled eggs towards the end if you desire.

There are numerous way to serve this braised pork, you can serve

• on top of rice
• noodles, namely ramen, spaghetti
• garnish with chopped green part of spring onion

Note.

• This is a very easy dsh to prepare, you can choose to use more fatty minced meat as it is more tender but I didn’t, guess I don’t need to explain why.
• It also freezes well. I freeze the unfinished into 3 portions. Very convenient when hubby is away and I don’t have time to spend in the kitchen when I have to take care of my baby Marc.

Top left: Marc was intrigued and insisted to help rolling the pasta; Top right: fresh pasta;

Bottom left: fresh ramen; Bottom right: cooked ramen