So Ramen

Step 1. Prepare the bones: Soak pork femurs in cold water for 2 hours to extract blood. Blanch in boiling water for 15 minutes, then scrub thoroughly under cold running water to remove all dark marrow and impurities.

Step 2. Simmer the Tonkotsu: Place cleaned bones in a large pot with onion, garlic, and ginger. Cover with water and boil vigorously for 10-12 hours, topping off water as needed, until the broth is milky white and opaque.

Step 3. Braise the Toroniku: In a separate pot, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and a bit of sugar. Add the pork jowl and simmer on low heat for 2.5 hours until it reaches a buttery texture. Remove and slice carefully just before serving.

Step 4. Infuse the Uobushi: In the final 30 minutes of broth cooking, add the katsuobushi and sababushi to the pot. Alternatively, strain the broth and steep the fish flakes for 10 minutes to create the 'Uobushi' smoky profile. Strain the final liquid through a fine-mesh sieve.

Step 5. Assemble: Place a spoonful of the pork braising liquid (as a tare) in each bowl. Pour in the hot uobushi tonkotsu broth. Add cooked ramen noodles, top with sliced toroniku, half an egg, and chopped green onions.