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Miyazaki karamen — spicy Japanese noodle soup with ground pork, soft-set egg, garlic chives, and Korean chili in a blue patterned bowl

Miyazaki Karamen (Spicy Japanese Noodle Soup)

A spicy noodle soup from Miyazaki in Kyushu: light chicken and garlic broth with ground pork, soft-set egg, and garlic chives, poured over noodles and finished with Korean chili powder to taste.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2 bowls
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients
  

  • 1.2 liters water about 5 cups
  • 2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder adjust to taste
  • 2 tsp light soy sauce (usukuchi) adjust to taste
  • 160 g ground pork about 5 1/2 oz
  • 2 tsp soy sauce for the pork
  • 2 tsp sake for the pork
  • 8-10 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 bunch garlic chives (nira) 5 cm lengths; frozen is fine
  • Korean chili powder (gochugaru) to taste
  • doubanjiang optional, to taste
  • 2 portions noodles about 150g dried Chinese-style noodles, or udon

Method
 

  1. Crush and roughly chop the garlic. Cut the garlic chives into 5 cm (2-inch) lengths. Mix the ground pork with the soy sauce and sake. Beat the eggs.
  2. Bring the water, chicken bouillon powder, and light soy sauce to a boil in a large frying pan or pot. Put a separate pot of water on for the noodles.
  3. Add the garlic and pork to the boiling broth, breaking up the meat. When the pork turns pale, skim off the foam. Taste and adjust with more bouillon or soy sauce.
  4. Reduce the heat to low and pour in the beaten egg in a thin stream. Leave it without stirring until set. Add the garlic chives and cook for about 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.
  5. Cook the noodles according to the package, drain, and divide between two bowls.
  6. Pour the soup over the noodles. Each person adds Korean chili powder and doubanjiang to taste.