Soki Soba

Ingredients

• 800 g pork spare ribs, cut into 5 cm pieces
• 400 ml water, for braising
• 200 ml awamori or sake
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp kokuto or dark muscovado sugar
• 20 g ginger, sliced
• 1.5 litres pork or chicken stock
• 20 g katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
• 1 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tbsp soy sauce, for the broth
• 1 tbsp sake, for the broth
• 600 g Okinawa soba noodles, or thick udon-style wheat noodles
• 8 slices kamaboko fish cake
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
• Beni shoga (pickled red ginger), to serve
• Koregusu or chilli oil, to serve

Before you cook

• Slice the ginger and cut the spring onions.
• Have a colander ready in the sink for draining the ribs.

Steps

1. Put the ribs in a large pan, cover them with cold water and bring them to the boil.
2. Boil the ribs for 10 minutes, then drain them and rinse each piece under hot water to wash off the scum.
3. Return the clean ribs to the pan with the 400 ml water, the awamori and the sliced ginger.
4. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes, until a skewer meets no resistance.
5. Add the 4 tablespoons of soy sauce and the kokuto sugar.
6. Simmer uncovered for a further 35 minutes, turning the ribs now and then, until the liquid is syrupy and clings to the meat.
7. Heat the pork stock in a separate pan until it is steaming but not boiling.
8. Take it off the heat, stir in the katsuobushi and leave it to steep for 5 minutes.
9. Strain the broth through a fine sieve lined with kitchen paper, pressing nothing through, so it stays clear.
10. Season the strained broth with the salt, the tablespoon of soy sauce and the tablespoon of sake, then keep it hot.
11. Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water according to the packet, then drain and rinse them briefly in hot water.
12. Divide the noodles between four deep bowls.
13. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles until they are just covered.
14. Lay two or three braised ribs on each bowl with two slices of kamaboko.
15. Scatter over the spring onions, add a pinch of beni shoga and offer koregusu at the table.