I made low moisture ramen noodles that are thick, springy and flavorful.  Wonderful for thick broths like miso but man –  they are firm. That was the goal, right? 40% hydration and knead them with the neighborhood hydraulic press. Cut with axes and bam –  alkali noodles.  Today I managed to take these good noodles and undercook them. Undercooked ramen noodles are REALLY al dente.  Bummer. Good noodles for sure but  they need to be cooked out just a bit longer.

I also managed to take some pork neck bones and trotters (pigs feet) and cook them as though we were on a different planet where different ambient pressures. Water didn’t bubble off into the atmosphere energized by the fires below, nay. They remained liquid and they kept doing their work –  moist hot work. At about 15 psi the liquid in a pressure cooker can do miraculous things on Earth’s timeline. It can tenderize and season; in our case it can perform an extraction.

This kind of ramen prep is like a purification. Take the good from the bad and isolate it until the resulting element is so singular in quality that it outshines all else. Strip away the false and you find truth. Man I have been huffing these fumes for a few hours….

This being my first try at the big daddy of ramen broths I know I have a ways to go. My broth is not crackling white or milky or creamy. It more resembles a balsamic vinaigrette after the oil has risen to the top. Yes my tonkotsu broth is a broken emulsion. Boo.

More to come about this big pot of stinky pork mess. ….