Chinese Tomato Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoon vegitable oil
• 300 g fatty pork belly, cut into 4mm sheets, then cut each sheet into rough thirds
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon MSG
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 4 ea spring onions, chopped, separate green and white sections
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 inch ginger, finely minced
• 400 g peeled canned tomatoes
  or
  • 650 g fresh tomatoes, cut an 'x' into the skin of each

    You want flavourful, non-supermarket tomatoes. If they're not in season, the cans will give much better results

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Gochujang
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 2 cups chicken/vegie stock
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon MSG
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 150 gram mushrooms (canned champignon or shimeji)
• 3 servings of ramen noodles
• 3 ea eggs
• 450 gram firm tofu

Steps

1. Mix the pork belly with the salt, MSG, soy sauce and coat with the oil.
2. Render out the lard from the pork belly by heating it on a low-medium flame, stirring occasionally.

   This will take about 15-20min and the pork should be crispy and brown by the end.

3. Remove pork to a paper towel, and reserve the lard.
4. Finely mince the whites of the spring onions, garlic and ginger together - we're aiming for a smooth paste.
5. If you have fresh tomatoes, place them in boiling water for ~1 min until the skin begins to peel off. Peel the skin off and crush
6. Add 4 tablespoons of the rendered lard to a pot, then add the minced aromatics. Fry over medium heat for 1-2 min or until fragrant.
7. Add the tomato paste and Gochujang and fry unil the oil is stained, ~1 minute.
8. Add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup water if fresh, or 1.5 cups if from a can. Crush the tomatoes with a spoon.
9. Add the Shaoxing wine, stock, sugar, MSG, salt, pepper and mushrooms.
10. Mix well, and simmer (lid on) for at least 30 min. We want to develop the flavour, not reduce the soup.

    If the soup does reduce too much - add a little more water

11. Prepare the ramen noodles according to their directions.
12. Fry the eggs in the remaining lard - for the most authentic experience - deep fry them in a wok, but shallow frying is also fine.
13. About 5 min before serving, add the tofu, reserved pork, and green parts of the spring onions.
14. Add the noodles and top with fried egg to serve.