La Paz batchoy

Step 1: Put 2 ¼ lb pork neck or back bones in a large pot, cover with cold water, boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse. This gives a cleaner broth.

Step 2: Return the bones to the pot with 10 ½ oz boneless pork shoulder, 12 ½ cups water, 1 onion and 1 oz ginger. Simmer gently, uncovered, skimming now and then, for 2 hours. Lift out the pork shoulder after 1 hour, when it is tender and at least 160°F inside; cool it and slice thinly.

Step 3: Strain the broth; you need about 1.6 litres. Stir in 1 tbsp shrimp paste (bagoong alamang), 2 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tsp sugar and keep at a gentle simmer. If making ahead, cool within 2 hours and refrigerate for up to 3 days, then lift off the fat.

Step 4: Poach 5 ½ oz pork liver in a ladle of the simmering broth for 8–10 minutes until firm and no longer pink in the centre (160°F). Slice thinly.

Step 5: Fry 10 cloves garlic in 4 tbsp vegetable oil over a medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until pale golden. Take it off the heat straight away, as it keeps browning. A common mistake is frying it dark, which makes the whole bowl bitter.

Step 6: Cook 1 ⅛ lb fresh egg noodles (miki) in boiling water for 1–2 minutes, then drain and divide between 4 deep bowls.

Step 7: Top the noodles with the sliced pork and liver, then ladle over the boiling broth. If adding 4 eggs, crack one into each bowl and pour the boiling broth straight over it; for fully set eggs, poach them in the broth for 4 minutes instead.

Step 8: Finish with 2 ⅛ oz pork crackling (chicharrón), the fried garlic and its oil, 3 spring onions and ½ tsp black pepper. Serve at once, with extra broth on the side.