Korean Cheese Ramen

Step 1

Place bacon strips in a large pot set over medium-high heat, laying them flat side by side to avoid overlapping, and cook for 5–6 minutes until the edges turn crispy and dark brown.

Step 2

Transfer cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, let cool for 30 seconds, then roughly chop into bite-sized pieces about the size of your thumbnail.

Step 3

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the pot, leaving the browned bits stuck to the bottom.

Step 4

Add 4 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, watching for large rolling bubbles breaking the surface, about 4 minutes.

Step 5

Stir 2 tablespoons of gochujang into the boiling water, pressing it against the side of the pot with your spoon until it fully dissolves and the broth turns reddish, about 30 seconds.

Step 6

Add both packages of ramen noodles to the boiling broth and stir them apart with a fork so they separate, then cook for 3 minutes until the noodles bend when you lift one with a fork but still have a slight firmness.

Step 7

Crack both eggs directly into the simmering broth and let them sit undisturbed for 1 minute so the whites begin to set while the yolk stays soft.

Step 8

Sprinkle 0.75 cups of shredded mozzarella evenly over the noodles and eggs, then stir gently for 20 seconds so the cheese melts and mingles with the broth.

Step 9

Divide the ramen and broth between two bowls, making sure each bowl gets one egg and half of the noodles.

Step 10

Sprinkle the chopped bacon pieces over each bowl so they sit on top of the noodles and cheese.