Chashu: Braised Pork Belly for Ramen

Prepare the pork belly:

1. Roll the pork belly and tie it with kitchen twine into an even cylinder. The roll keeps its shape during braising and cooks evenly.

Sear:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sear the pork belly on all sides until evenly browned. The browning adds flavor to the braise.

Add the aromatics:

1. Add the scallions, ginger and garlic to the pot and fry briefly until fragrant.

Make the braising liquid:

1. Pour in the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar and water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer.

Braise:

1. Cover the pot and braise the pork belly over low heat for 2 to 3 hours until tender. Turn it now and then so it cooks evenly.

Rest:

1. Lift the pork belly out of the liquid and let it cool to room temperature. For the best result, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it for a few hours or overnight until firm. Cold chashu slices thin much more easily.

Serve:

1. Cut the chilled chashu into thin slices and lay them on a hot bowl of ramen. Drizzle some of the leftover braising liquid over the ramen as a sauce, or save it for other dishes.