Recipe for slow cooker: Pork belly ramen by Olivia Andrews

Pork belly ramen

Preparing ramen soup usually involves boiling bones for many hours to create a rich stock, but this slow cooker version couldn't make the Japanese winter favourite any easier. There's no need to hang around and watch the stove, as the dish makes itself. You can substitute pork belly for pork shoulder.

1 litre chicken stock

2 tbsp tamari

2 tbsp sake

2 tbsp mirin

2 tsp sugar

100g white miso paste

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4cm piece ginger, sliced

1 leek, white part only, halved, thinly sliced

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

1 piece kombu

750g lean pork belly, skin on

500g cooked ramen noodles

Boiled eggs, sliced spring onion, nori, sesame seeds and sesame oil, to serve

1. Whisk the stock, tamari, sake, mirin, sugar, miso paste and 750ml of water in the bowl of the slow cooker until combined, then add the garlic, ginger, leek, carrot, kombu and pork belly.

2. Cook on low for seven hours until the pork is tender. Remove and set aside until cool enough to handle. Strain the soup through a fine sieve.

3. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a saucepan of boiling water according to packet instructions.

4. Remove the pork belly skin and discard. Cut the meat into 1cm-thick slices. Divide the noodles and pork among bowls, then garnish with boiled eggs, sliced spring onion, nori, sesame seeds and sesame oil.

Serves 4