Authentic Japanese Tori Paitan Ramen

• •3 lb chicken carcasses and backs, chopped into smaller pieces
• •1 lb chicken feet or chicken wings (for extra collagen)
• •0.5 lb chicken skin and trimmed fat (reserved for aroma oil)
• •16 cup water (for broth)
• •1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
• •1 head of garlic, cut in half horizontally
• •2 oz fresh ginger, sliced into thick coins
• •2 stalks Japanese long green onion (negi) or green scallion tops
• •1 cup water (for tare)
• •0.3 cup sake
• •0.3 cup mirin
• •3 tablespoon Japanese sea salt (natural sea salt)
• •1 piece kombu (dried kelp)
• •1 piece dried shiitake mushroom
• •2 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts (for chicken chashu)
• •4 portions fresh ramen noodles
• •4 Ajitsuke Tamago (marinated soft-boiled ramen eggs), halved
• •0.5 cup menma (seasoned bamboo shoots)
• •0.5 cup green scallions, finely sliced
• •4 piece nori seaweed sheets, cut into rectangles

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the chicken bones and feet thoroughly under cold running water, scrubbing away any blood clots, dark marrow, or organ remnants.

2. 2

   Place the bones and feet in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, and bring to a rapid boil over high heat for 10 minutes. Drain completely in a colander and rinse the bones under cold running water to remove all scummy impurities.

3. 3

   Return the cleaned bones to the washed stockpot, pour in 16 cups of fresh water, and bring to a vigorous rolling boil over high heat. Keep the broth at a rolling boil, uncovered or partially covered, for 4.5 to 5 hours, stirring occasionally and crushing the softening bones with a wooden paddle or potato masher to release bone marrow and emulsify collagen into a milky white liquid. Add extra boiling water as needed to keep the bones submerged.

4. 4

   Add the quartered onion, halved garlic head, sliced ginger, and green onion stalks to the boiling broth. Continue boiling vigorously for another 1 hour until the broth is rich, intensely aromatic, and opaque white.

5. 5

   Meanwhile, make the Shio Tare: Combine 1 cup water, sake, mirin, kombu, and dried shiitake in a small saucepan. Let steep for 30 minutes. Bring gently to a bare simmer over medium-low heat, remove the kombu just before boiling, then stir in the Japanese sea salt until fully dissolved. Strain and set tare aside.

6. 6

   Make the Chiyu (chicken aroma oil): In a small saucepan over low heat, render the chicken skin and fat with a few slices of scallion and a crushed garlic clove for 25–30 minutes until the fat turns clear and golden. Strain into a small jar and discard solids.

7. 7

   Prepare the chicken chashu: Season the chicken breasts lightly with salt, vacuum seal or place in a heat-safe ziplock bag with 1 tablespoon of the tare, and cook sous-vide at 145°F (63°C) for 1 hour (or poach gently in barely simmering water for 15 minutes). Let rest, then slice thinly.

8. 8

   Strain the finished broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, pressing firmly on all solids to extract maximum liquid. For an ultra-luxurious, creamy froth, aerate the hot broth with an immersion blender for 30 seconds immediately before serving.

9. 9

   Bring a separate large pot of unsalted water to a rapid rolling boil. Boil the fresh ramen noodles according to package instructions (typically 60 to 90 seconds for firm 'katame' texture), then drain and shake vigorously in a noodle strainer to remove excess water.

10. 10

    Assemble the bowls: In each of the 4 warmed ramen bowls, add 2 tablespoons of Shio Tare and 1 tablespoon of warm Chiyu aroma oil. Pour in 1.5 cups of piping-hot, aerated Tori Paitan broth and stir gently.

11. 11

    Fold the drained ramen noodles neatly into the broth using chopsticks. Arrange sliced chicken chashu, half a marinated ramen egg, a spoonful of menma, finely sliced green scallions, and a sheet of nori on top. Serve immediately.

Chef's Tips

• 💡Maintaining a constant rolling boil is essential for Tori Paitan—the mechanical agitation is what emulsifies chicken fat and gelatin into a velvety, milky broth rather than a clear soup.
• 💡Crush the chicken bones thoroughly around the 3-hour mark using a potato masher to expose marrow and accelerate the breakdown of collagen.
• 💡Use an immersion blender right before ladling the broth into bowls to create the signature frothy micro-foam top layer found in top Tokyo ramen shops.
• 💡Always warm your ramen bowls with hot tap water before assembly so the rich chicken broth maintains its piping-hot temperature.