Ramen and the Perfect Egg

The arrival of autumn comes with the promise of changing leaves and chillier climates, often cueing our urge to prepare warmer meals aimed at combatting the frigid weather. One foolproof method that guarantees victory against the cold is a hot bowl of soup, such as ramen. There are many variations of ramen but one dear to many hearts (and mouths) is tonkotsu ramen. This style of ramen involves the boiling of pork bones for extended periods of time to produce a deliciously fatty and hearty pork broth that has an incredible depth of flavor. The broth alone is what makes the ramen but the accoutrements that dress the soup are just as important. Tonkotsu ramen is often served with slices of marinated, slow-cooked pork loin (chashu), enoki and wood ear mushroom, dried seaweed (nori), and green onions. However, one of my favorite ramen toppings is the soy-marinated soft-boiled egg known as ajitsuke tamago.