This Hawaiian-style cold ramen noodle salad recipe is topped with slices of addictively savory, crispy pork shoulder, crunchy bean sprouts, tender ribbons of egg, shredded nori, and slices of Japanese pickled cucumber. A cooling dressing of dashi, rice wine vinegar, and sake brings it all together. It makes a refreshing lunch or a hearty side dish at a cookout. If you can’t get your hands on saimin noodles, a Hawaiian wheat noodle usually served in broth (like ramen), look for dried ramen noodles at Asian grocery stores, or use the noodles from three instant ramen packages.
How to Make It
Cut pork shoulder into 2 equal-size steaks (if using ribs, leave whole). Combine pork, shoyu, sugar, garlic, ginger, and scallion in a large ziplock plastic bag. Seal bag, and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Remove pork from marinade; discard marinade. Preheat grill to high (450°F to 500°F). Place pork on oiled grates; grill, covered, until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 140°F, about 6 minutes per side. Remove from grill, and let rest 5 minutes. Halve pork shoulder steaks lengthwise; thinly slice against the grain. (If using ribs, slice meat from bones into bite-size pieces.)
Cook ramen noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles, and place in a large bowl. Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium. Whisk together egg, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Add egg to skillet, tilting to coat bottom of skillet in a thin, even layer. Cook until top is set, about 1 minute. Remove egg from skillet; thinly slice. Top noodles with sliced pork, sliced egg, bean sprouts, nori, scallions, and kyurizuke.
Stir together dashi, 1/2 cup water, vinegar, and sake in a small bowl. Drizzle dashi sauce over salad.