• In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp apple juice, 1 tsp mirin, 1 clove grated garlic, ½ tsp honey, and ½ tsp whole grain mustard until smooth. Set by the stove for later.
  
• Wash and dry 6-8 spears asparagus, then break 2-5cm (1-2 inches) off of the base.
  
• Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin from the bottom 3-5cm of each stalk.
  
• Take 6-8 slices thinly sliced pork belly and place one on a cutting board at a 45° angle. Place one spear of asparagus parallel to the bottom of the cutting board with the base placed over the bottom edge of the pork and the tip pointing to the right.
  
• Wrap the bottom of the asparagus tightly with the pork to stop it from sliding out when cooking.
  
• Roll the asparagus upwards until the pork is wrapped around the spear in overlapping spirals, leaving the tips poking out of the top.
  
• Start heating your pan over medium high heat with 1 tsp cooking oil. While you wait, sprinkle the pork wrapped asparagus with 1 pinch salt and pepper and brush with ½ tbsp cornstarch until they have a thin even coating all over.
  
• Once the pan is nice and hot, place the asparagus with the seam of the pork facing down. Turn occasionally until evenly browned all over.
  
• Use kitchen paper to wipe out any excess oil.
  
• Add the sauce and gently shake the pan occasionally to distribute it evenly and help coat the pork.
  
• Once the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, add 1 tsp butter and swirl the pan around to melt it before taking it off the heat.
  
• Transfer to serving plates and top with a sunny-side-up egg and some toasted white sesame seeds. Drizzle any leftover sauce in the pan over the top and serve with 4 slices baguette (toasted). Enjoy!
  

• Start by preparing your vegetables. Peel ¼ carrot and roughly dice it into small cubes. Cut 1 green bell pepper and 150 g green cabbage to a similar size.
  
• Cut 150 g yakisoba noodles (pre-steamed) block into strips about 1-2cm thick.
  
• Finely chop 150 g thinly sliced pork belly into small pieces by rocking your knife back and forth in different directions. Alternatively, use ground pork.
  
• In a bowl mix 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, ½ tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp tomato ketchup, ⅛ tsp smoked paprika powder and ⅛ tsp Japanese style curry powder. Set by the stove for later.
  
• Heat a non-stick pan on medium and add 1 tsp cooking oil. Once hot, add 1 clove garlic and the pork belly. Season with 1 pinch salt and pepper and fry until the fat starts to render out. Then, push the pork to one side, increase the heat to high and add the noodles. Fry undisturbed until crispy, then flip the noodles and repeat on the other side. Stir the pork occasionally to prevent burning.
  
• Add the vegetables along with another sprinkle of salt and mix well.
  
• Add 150 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice, 1 tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder, ¼ tsp dashi granules and ½ tbsp sake. Stir fry until the rice separates and everything is evenly distributed.
  
• Pour the sauce into the pan and stir until all the ingredients are lightly coated.
  
• Pour 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) around the edge of the pan, then stir fry for another minute. If your pan is quite shallow, make a space and pour the soy sauce directly onto the pan, let it darken slightly before mixing it into the rest of the ingredients.
  
• Add 3 tbsp tempura flakes (tenkasu) and mix thoroughly before removing the pan from the heat.
  
• Transfer to serving plates and drizzle with a touch of toasted sesame oil. Top with bonito flakes (katsuobushi), aonori (dried green seaweed powder), red pickled ginger (benishoga) and sunny-side-up eggs (optional). Enjoy!
  

• Take 2 bone-in pork chops and pat the surface dry with kitchen paper. Use a fork to pierce the meat all over (both sides), then use a sharp knife to make incisions on the fat.
  
• Lay the pork chops flat on a cutting board and cover them with plastic wrap, then pound until 2 cm (¾ inch) thick and place them in a sealable freezer bag.
  
• Break the woody stems off of 4 spears asparagus then cut them in half (or thirds). Remove the stems of 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms and cut ½ carrot into batons a similar thickness to the asparagus. Place all of the vegetables in the bag together with the pork.
  
• In a small bowl, mix 3 tbsp yellow miso paste (awase), 2 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp light brown sugar, 1 tbsp grated apple, 1 tbsp water, 2 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp mirin, 1 tsp grated ginger root, and 1 tsp grated garlic together until combined.
  
• Pour the marinade into the bag and massage until the pork and vegetables are evenly covered. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
  
• Preheat your oven to 120 °C (248 °F). While you wait, line a baking sheet with baking paper and arrange the pork and vegetables in a single layer without overlapping.
  
• Roast at the low temperature for about 35 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 63 °C (145 °F).
  
• Take the tray out of the oven and increase the oven temperature to 220 °C (428 °F). Preheat a frying pan over medium heat with ½ tbsp cooking oil. Once the pan is fully preheated, sear the pork for 1 minute on each side.
  
• Hold each pork chop on its side to sear the fat on the edges, turning until browned all the way around.
  
• Wrap each pork chop with foil and rest for 10 minutes on a warm plate.
  
• While the pork is resting, return the baking tray with the vegetables to the preheated oven and bake at 220 °C (428 °F) for 8-10 minutes.
  
• Plate up and garnish with shredded perilla leaves (shiso), yuzu zest and a sprinkle of Japanese chili powder (shichimi togarashi). Enjoy!
  

Preparation (approx 35 minutes)

• Soak 2 dried shiitake mushrooms in 350 ml water for 30 minutes.
  
• Place 150 g thinly sliced pork in a bowl with 1 tsp grated ginger root and 1 tbsp sake. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  
• Use this time to prepare the vegetables. Roughly cut ⅛ green cabbage, thinly slice ½ carrot, roughly cut 5 slices kamaboko fish cake, and finely chop 1 clove garlic and 1 thumb ginger root.
  
• If using ramen noodles (instead of crispy sara udon noodles), boil 2 ptns ramen noodles for a little less time than the packaging states. Drain and rinse with warm water to remove excess starch.
  
• Shake thoroughly to remove excess moisture, then place them in a bowl and toss with 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil until fully coated.
  
• Heat a non-stick pan on medium. Once hot, add the noodles and fry until crispy on both sides (approx 4-5 minutes on each side). Avoid mixing them too much as this can prevent them from crisping up.
  
• Once crispy, transfer the noodles to serving plates.
  
• After 30 minutes, remove the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms from the liquid, this is now shiitake dashi – save this for the next step. Cut the stems off of the shiitake and thinly slice the caps before placing them with the other vegetables.
  
• To the shiitake dashi, add 2 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), ½ tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp sugar,1 tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder and ¼ tsp dashi granules. Mix well and set by the stove.
  

Cooking

• Heat a wok on medium and drizzle in 1 tsp cooking oil. Sauté the finely chopped garlic and ginger until fragrant.
  
• Add the marinated pork and sprinkle with 1 pinch salt and pepper. Fry until lightly browned.
  
• Once the pork is no longer pink, add the cabbage, carrot, kamaboko and shiitake mushrooms. Add another 1 pinch salt and pepper and stir fry until the cabbage has softened slightly.
  
• Pour the sauce into the wok and add 100 g bean sprouts and 6 quail eggs. Mix well and simmer for 3 minutes. While you wait, mix 1 tbsp potato starch (katakuriko) and 3 tbsp water in a small bowl to make a slurry.
  
• After 3 minutes, pour the slurry into the wok and stir over the heat until the mixture is slightly thick and glossy, but still pourable. If it becomes too thick, add a little water to loosen it.

  Once thickened, drizzle with ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil and remove from the heat.
  
• Pour the mixture over the top of the plated crispy noodles, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
  

• Take a large pot and add 600 ml dashi stock, 2 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp mirin, 3 tbsp Japanese light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu), ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp grated ginger root. Mix it well.
  
• Add 200 g potherb mustard (mizuna), 4 leaves Napa cabbage, 2 fresh shiitake mushrooms, 2 sheets fried tofu pouch (aburaage) and 300 g thinly sliced pork belly to the cold broth, then place a lid on top and heat on medium.
  
• Bring the broth to a simmer and cook with the lid on for about 10 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are softened to your liking.
  
• Grate ½ daikon radish using a Japanese oroshi grater. (Alternatively, you could use a microplane grater or similar fine grater.) Once grated, squeeze out the excess water.
  
• Once all your ingredients are cooked, add the grated daikon to the pot and sprinkle with 2 tbsp finely chopped green onions and ground black pepper. Drizzle with 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil.
  
• Serve and add yuzu kosho or Japanese chili powder (shichimi togarashi) to taste. Enjoy!
  

• Start boiling a large pot of water. While you wait, thinly slice the white part of a Japanese leek (naganegi) and place it in a bowl of cold water. The amount depends on how much you want to use as a topping so I left out the measurement here.
  
• Cut ¼ onion into wedges and place it in a separate bowl of cold water.
  
• Once your pot of water is boiling, add 300 g thinly sliced pork belly. Boil for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until the meat has changed color completely, then drain and set aside.
  
• Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat and add 1 tsp cooking oil. Drain the onion wedges from earlier and add them to the pan with 1 pinch salt. Gently fry until soft and translucent.
  
• Once the onions are cooked through, add 200 ml water, 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tsp grated ginger root and ¼ tsp dashi granules to the pan and mix well.
  
• Add the drained pork, mix and simmer until the liquid has almost completely gone.
  

Sauce

• In a separate smaller pot, add ⅛ onion (finely diced) along with 4 tbsp water, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp sugar, ½ tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder, 1 tsp honey and 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil. Cook over medium-low for 1-2 minutes or until the onion is slightly softened.
  
• Take a small bowl and mix together 1 tbsp water and 1 tsp potato starch (katakuriko) to make a slurry. Pour the slurry into the pot and stir over the low heat until slightly thickened and glossy, then remove from the heat.
  

Assembly

• Divide 2 ptns cooked Japanese short-grain rice between serving bowls and place the pork and onions on top.
  
• Pour the sauce over the top, then squeeze out the soaked Japanese leeks and place them in the center. Sprinkle with toasted white sesame seeds and enjoy!
  

Salad (optional)

• Thinly slice daikon radish, carrot and lettuce leaves and soak them in a bowl of cold water. Wash and dry mini tomatoes. You can serve as much or as little salad as you like so I didn't include measurements for this part.
  
• Mix 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise, 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) and ⅛ tsp Japanese mustard (karashi) in a small bowl until combined, set aside for later.
  

Patty

• Take a large mixing bowl and add 200 g ground pork, 50 g ground beef, ½ onion (grated), 1 egg, 4 tbsp panko breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp plain yogurt, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, ½ tbsp yellow miso paste (awase), ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp sugar, 1 pinch nutmeg powder, and 1 pinch ground black pepper.
  
• Knead everything together until well distributed and you have a uniform sticky mixture.
  
• Divide the mixture into equal portions. Lightly oil your hands to stop sticking, and throw each patty between your hands about 10 times to remove excess air. Shape into an oval and make a dent in the center. Place each patty on a square of baking paper to make it easy to transfer to the pan later.
  
• Heat a pan on medium and add a small amount of oil. Place the patties in the pan with the dent-side facing up and fry for 2 minutes on each side to create a nice crust.
  
• Once both sides are browned, reduce the heat to low, add a few teaspoons of warm water to the pan and cover with a lid. Steam for 6 minutes or until cooked through.
  
• Remove the lid and top each patty with cheddar cheese (optional). If you want it to look more like Bikkuri Donkey's, you can cut cheese slices into strips and make a cross shape on top. Place a lid on top and steam until melted, then transfer to a warm plate.
  

Sauce

• Reusing the same pan, add 2 tbsp onion (finely diced) and fry them in the leftover fat from the patties until soft
  
• Once the onions are soft and golden, add 2 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp mirin and ¼ tsp dashi granules. Mix it well and let it boil for 30 seconds.
  

Serving

• Drain the salad and squeeze to remove the excess water. Place it on the plate and top it with the seasoned mayonnaise and a mini tomato. Arrange a portion of rice and the hamburg next to it, then drizzle the hamburg with the sauce from the pan. Enjoy!
  

• Cut 150 g konjac (konnyaku) into bitesize pieces and boil it in lightly salted water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and wash with cold water, then set aside for later. Peel and cut 150 g burdock root (gobo), 1 carrot and ¼ daikon radish into thin slices. Thinly slice 2 pieces fried tofu pouch (aburaage).
  
• Heat a pot on medium and add 1 tsp cooking oil. Once hot, add 200 g thinly sliced pork and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Fry until lightly browned on both sides and the fat is released into the pan.
  
• Add the carrot, daikon radish and burdock root to the pot. Sprinkle with a little more salt and stir fry for 2 minutes until the vegetables are coated in the fat from the pork.
  
• Pour 1 liter dashi stock into the pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 7 minutes or until the vegetables are softened to your liking.
  
• Add 150 g konjac (konnyaku) and 2 pieces fried tofu pouch (aburaage), and reduce the heat to low. Continue to simmer for 3 minutes or until the konnyaku is warmed through.
  
• Turn off the heat and place 3 ½ tbsp white miso paste and 100 g sake lees in a miso strainer. Dip it into the soup and whisk until it's dispersed into the broth. If you don't have a miso strainer or similar too, pour some broth into a small bowl with the miso and sake lees, whisk until smooth before adding it to the rest of the soup. Add 1 tbsp Japanese light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu) and mix.
  
• Divide into serving bowls and sprinkle with finely chopped green onions. Enjoy!
  

• Break off the leaves of 400 g Napa cabbage and lay one on a chopping board. Take 300 g thinly sliced pork and place one slice on top of the cabbage.
  
• Continue to layer the napa cabbage leaves and pork belly slices in stacks of about 6 layers each.
  
• Cut each stack into roughly 5cm (2 inch) pieces.
  
• Arrange each stack around the edge of your cooking pot. Start with the edge of the pot and work your way into the middle.
  
• Pour 400 ml dashi stock, 100 ml sake and ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil around the pot, then sprinkle with 1 tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder and ground black pepper to taste.

  Place the pot over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower to a simmer and cover with a lid. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  
• Serve with ponzu sauce for dipping. You can also add grated daikon radish (daikon oroshi), Japanese chili powder (shichimi togarashi) and/or yuzu kosho to taste. Enjoy!
  

• Take your serving bowls and to each one, add ½ tsp soy sauce, ½ tsp Chinese chicken bouillon powder, ½ tsp chili oil, ½ tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp unsweetened soy milk and 1 tbsp ground sesame seeds. Mix well until combined. (If making many portions, mix the ingredients altogether in a jug and divide evenly between bowls.)
  
• Roughly crush 30 g cashew nuts. I use a mortar and pestle, but you can also place them in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Set aside for later.
  
• Heat a large pan or wok over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cooking oil, and once hot, add ¼ onion, 1 tsp ginger root and 1 garlic clove. Stir constantly to prevent burning and fry for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
  
• Add 150 g ground pork and sprinkle with 1 pinch salt and pepper. Fry until browned.
  
• Once the meat is browned, add 1½ tbsp yellow miso paste (awase), ½ tbsp chili bean sauce (toban djan), 1 tbsp sake, 1 tsp sugar and the crushed cashew nuts from before. Mix well and continue to heat until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
  
• Boil 2 ptns ramen noodles in a pot of boiling water for the time stated on the packaging.
  
• Drain the noodles and place them in the bowls over the sauce.
  
• Spoon the seasoned spicy pork over the top and garnish with your choice of ramen toppings. I recommend soft-boiled eggs, a drizzle of chili oil and some broccoli sprouts.
  
• Mix well and enjoy!