New Wave Shio Double-Soup

Before you start

• Synthesize kansui with baked baking soda.

  Spread standard baking soda on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for exactly one hour to thermally decompose it into sodium carbonate, creating the necessary alkaline environment for snappy noodles.

• Execute the 6:30 bullseye egg.

  Lower cold eggs into rapidly boiling water for precisely 6 minutes and 30 seconds, immediately transfer to an ice bath to arrest thermal carryover, peel, and submerge in a marinade for exactly 12 hours—no more, no less.

Ingredients

• pork neck bones3 lb
• split pork trotters2 lb
• chicken backs2 lb
• medium onions2 med
• head garlic1 large
• fresh ginger2 inch
• dried kombu25 g
• dried scallops50 g
• niboshi80 g
• katsuobushi60 g
• dried shiitake mushrooms10 g
• mirin100 ml
• usukuchi soy sauce100 ml
• sugar1/2 tsp
• kosher salt120 g
• bread flour500 g
• water190 ml
• kosher salt1 tsp
• baking soda6 g
• scallions1 bunch
• garlic cloves2 large
• braised pork belly chashu1 lb
• large eggs4 large

Method

1. 01

   Craft the hotate shio tare in advance.

   Extract 10g of the kombu and all of the dried scallops in 500ml of water at 140°F. Raise the heat to 175°F to steep 40g of niboshi for 10 minutes, strain, then steep 30g of katsuobushi for 3 minutes and strain again. Briefly boil the mirin in a separate pan to remove the alcohol, then whisk in the soy sauce, sugar, seafood liquor, and 120g of salt until fully dissolved, resting it in the refrigerator to age and mellow over a few days.

2. 02

   Blanch the animal bones to purge impurities.

   Place the pork neck, trotters, and chicken backs in your largest stock pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a violent boil for 15 minutes. Dump the entire contents into the sink and mercilessly scrub every single bone under cold running water to remove coagulated blood—skipping this guarantees a muddy, oxidized broth.

3. 03

   Violently emulsify the animal broth over an 18-hour boil.

   Return the pristine bones to the cleaned pot, cover with two inches of water, and establish a thrashing, rolling boil. After two hours, add the onions, halved garlic, and ginger; replenish evaporating water only with boiling water from a kettle so the agitation never drops. This mechanical violence is entirely responsible for shearing the fat and gelatin into the opaque, milky-white suspension that defines the broth.

4. 04

   Render the aroma oil.

   Skim half a cup of the solidified fat from the chilled animal broth and gently fry the minced scallions and garlic until deeply golden, straining and reserving the infused fat.

5. 05

   Extract the delicate seafood broth with absolute thermal restraint.

   Cold steep the remaining 15g of kombu in 1.5 liters of water for an hour, heat slowly to 140°F, and remove the kelp. Raise to 185°F, steep the remaining niboshi and shiitake mushrooms for 15 minutes, turn off the heat to add the rest of the katsuobushi for 5 minutes, and strain gently without pressing the solids to avoid clouding the broth.

6. 06

   Engineer the alkaline noodles.

   Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt and the baked baking soda completely into 190ml of water. Slowly drizzle this alkaline solution into the bread flour, mixing vigorously until crumbly, rest the dough for 30 minutes, and laminate it repeatedly through a pasta machine until flawlessly smooth before cutting into noodles.

7. 07

   Assemble the bowl with thermal urgency.

   Preheat your serving bowls with boiling water, empty them, and pool 2.5 tablespoons of the aged tare and 1 tablespoon of aroma oil at the bottom. Blend the milky animal broth and clear seafood broth at a 60:40 ratio in a saucepan, bring to a simmer without salting it, and pour 350ml into the bowl just as you drop in the noodles after boiling them for exactly 90 seconds.

8. 08

   Crown the bowl with precise accoutrements.

   Drape the cold-sliced chashu over the rim so the residual heat of the soup instantly melts its fat. Slice the marinated egg cleanly in half to reveal the gelatinous bullseye yolk, float it on the surface, garnish with scallions, and serve immediately.

Notes

• The golden rule of tare is absolute.

  You will be overwhelmingly tempted to salt the simmering bone broth after tending it all day. Do not do it. The broth is merely a textural and aromatic foundation; all salinity and seasoning must reside at the bottom of the bowl in the tare.

• Never warm-slice the chashu.

  Attempting to slice freshly braised, warm pork belly will cause it to disintegrate into pulled pork. It must be chilled thoroughly overnight so the fat solidifies, allowing for structurally sound, paper-thin cuts.