Classic Tonkotsu Ramen

1Place the pork neck bones and trotters in a large stockpot and cover with cold water; soak for 60 minutes to draw out blood and impurities, then drain and rinse.

2Refill the pot with fresh water to cover the bones, bring to a hard boil over high heat for 10 minutes, then drain the gray water and scrub every bone individually under cold running water to remove all dark marrow and coagulated blood—this step is vital for a white, clean-tasting broth.

3Return the cleaned bones and the pork fatback to the pot, cover with 6 quarts of fresh water, and bring to a vigorous rolling boil over high heat.

4Maintain a rolling boil for 10 to 12 hours, adding boiling water as needed to keep the bones submerged; the high heat and constant agitation are necessary to emulsify the fat and collagen into a creamy, opaque white liquid.

5In the final 2 hours of boiling, add the onion, garlic (1 head), ginger, and leek (1) to the pot to infuse the broth with aromatics without them disintegrating completely.

6Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding the solids; for a professional finish, finely mince the boiled fatback and whisk it back into the broth for extra richness.

7Prepare the tare by combining soy sauce, mirin, salt, and dashi powder in a small saucepan over medium heat; simmer for 3 minutes until the salt is fully dissolved, then remove from heat.

8Cook the ramen noodles in a large pot of boiling water for 60 to 90 seconds, or until 'al dente' with a firm bite; drain thoroughly and shake off all excess water to prevent diluting the broth.

9To assemble, place 2 tablespoons of tare into the bottom of each deep ramen bowl, pour in 1.5 cups of the piping hot broth, and whisk briefly to combine.

10Add the noodles, lifting them with chopsticks to fold them neatly, then top with slices of pork belly, a halved marinated egg, wood ear mushrooms (½ cup), scallions (4), and a sheet of nori tucked into the side.