Pork Cutlet Shoyu Ramen

Fill a small pot with water, about half of its capacity. Place the pot over high heat and wait for it to reach a rolling boil; then, carefully add an egg into the pot. Continue to cook in boiling water for 15 minutes; once done, carefully pour off the hot water. Immediately submerge the egg in cold running water to stop the cooking process, and then set it aside to cool down.

Heat a generous amount of sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Gently place slices of pork into the hot oil, making sure they're fully coated. On top of each slice of pork, apply a thin layer of olive oil, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and scatter some fresh basil leaves. Flip the pork slices over and cover them with a similar layer of ingredients: olive oil, sesame seeds, basil leaves, and dried sage.

Continue cooking the pork slices, covered, over medium-low heat until they're evenly browned on the bottom surface. Flip them over and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until they're equally browned on the second side. Remove the pork from the heat.

In a separate large pot, bring a substantial amount of water to a boil. Cook ramen noodles in the boiling water until they're tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 3 minutes. Drain the noodles in a colander placed in the sink and rinse them until the water runs clear. Return the noodles to the pot.

In a small bowl, whisk together kombu, bonito stock, soy sauce, and miso paste until smooth. Stir the mixture into the cooked noodles, cooking over medium heat with a pair of chopsticks until the miso paste is fully dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the noodles to a serving bowl.

Cut an egg in half lengthwise and place it alongside slices of pork and fish paste slices over the noodles. Garnish with a drizzle of tonkatsu sauce, some sliced ginger, chopped green onion, and a few grinds of black pepper.