Black Garlic Oil Tonkotsu Ramen (Kumamoto Style)

Creamy, White Tonkotsu + Homemade Black Garlic Oil (Ma-yu)

Contents

This is my Kumamoto-style tonkotsu ramen topped with aromatic black garlic oil (ma-yu) — a smoky, nutty, deeply complex aroma oil that transforms a classic white tonkotsu into something unforgettable.

If you’ve made my Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen, this version takes things one step further with bold flavor, darker aroma, and a richer finish.

This guide includes:

  • how to make creamy, milky-white tonkotsu
  • how to prepare perfect black garlic oil (no bitterness)
  • common mistakes & fixes
  • toppings & serving ideas
  • tools I personally use

Why Black Garlic Oil Matters (Ma-yu Basics)

Black garlic oil (ma-yu) is originally from Kumamoto, Japan, known for its smoky, nutty, slightly bitter aroma.
When done correctly, it adds:

  • fragrance
  • depth & complexity
  • color contrast
  • umami that lingers on the palate

A simple bowl of tonkotsu becomes a signature bowl with just a tablespoon of this oil.

The challenge?
Most home cooks burn it.
Burnt ma-yu = bitter, ashy, chemical taste.

This recipe explains exactly how to avoid that.

Tools I Use for This Recipe

Tonkotsu + ma-yu requires controlled heat, clean skimming, and proper emulsification.
These are the tools I personally use:

Using the right tools makes your broth cleaner, whiter, and easier to manage.

Tools I Use for This Recipe → https://ramenkaonashi.com/tools/

How to Make Black Garlic Oil (Ma-yu)

(Smoky, not burnt)

Black garlic oil is made by slowly frying chopped garlic until deep brown, then blending and combining with aromatic oil.

Here’s the key principle:

Color: deep brown
Aroma: roasted
NOT black / NOT burnt

Burnt garlic smells acrid.
Good ma-yu smells sweet and smoky.

Common Mistakes When Making Black Garlic Oil

Mistake 1: Burning the garlic

→ Heat too high
→ Temp not monitored

Fix:
Cook at 140–150°C, stir constantly.

Mistake 2: Garlic unevenly cooked

→ Too much garlic at once
→ Not enough oil

Fix:
Keep garlic submerged & move constantly.

Mistake 3: Oil gets bitter

→ Over-fried sesame seeds or ginger

Fix:
Remove aromatics before they get dark.

Mistake 4: Oil separates strangely in ramen

→ Water got into the pan
→ You added oil at wrong temperature

Fix:
Oil and ingredients must be completely dry.

Tonkotsu Broth: Making It Milky & White

A proper tonkotsu broth relies on:

Hard, rolling boil

→ emulsification creates that milky white color

Clean skimming

→ removes impurities early → clean flavor

Exposed marrow

→ more collagen → thicker broth

Long boiling

→ 3–6 hours depending on bones

If your broth turns grey, see the next section.

Why Tonkotsu Turns Grey (And How to Fix It)

Reason 1: Not washing bones properly

Blood proteins remain → muddy color
Fix: blanch → scrub → rinse thoroughly

Reason 2: You didn’t skim early enough

Fix: skim continuously for the first 60 minutes

Reason 3: Heat too low

No emulsification → dull color
Fix: keep a strong rolling boil

Reason 4: Pot too thin

Uneven heat → partial emulsification
Fix: use a heavy-bottom stock pot

Serving & Styling (Kumamoto Style)

For true Kumamoto-style:

  • Add black garlic oil in a circle
  • Top with fried garlic chips
  • Use slightly thicker noodles
  • Add pork back fat (optional)
  • Chashu should be tender but not overly fatty

Aesthetics matter — the contrast of white broth × black oil is what makes this bowl visually iconic.

Below is the full recipe.
Ingredients, instructions and timings are organized for easy cooking.

RAMEN KAONASHI

Black Garlic Oil Tonkotsu Ramen (Kumamoto Style)

A rich, creamy Kumamoto-style tonkotsu ramen topped with homemade black garlic oil (ma-yu).
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 10 hours
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

SAUCE
  • 3 pc DRIED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS
  • 12 g Hidaka Kombu
  • 20 g Dried Scallops
  • 20 g Sababushi
  • 320 ml Water
  • 70 ml Hon Mirin
  • 40 ml Cooking Sake
  • 80 ml Usukuchi Shoyu
  • 20 ml Thai fish Sauce
  • 30 g Sea salt
  • 25 g Oyster Sauce
NOODLES
  • 145 g Water & Egg
  • 5 g Sea salt
  • 5 g Kansui
  • 400 g Hokkaido ramen flour
TONKOTSU SOUP
  • 1 kg Pre boiled pork bone
  • 500 g Chicken carcass
  • 2500 ml Water
  • 300 g Pork fat
  • 1 pc Onion
OIL
  • 100 g Sliced garlic
  • 100 g Pork lard
CHASHU5
  • 500 g Pork shoulder
  • 5 g Salt
  • 50 ml Koikuchi shoyu
TOPPING
  • 1 pc Shironegi
  • 1 pc Spring onions
  • 2 slice Chashu
  • 1 pc Ajitama
  • 1 pc Sliced black fungus
  • 1 pc Menma
BLACK GARLIC OIL TONKOTSU RAMEN
  • 35 ml Ramen sauce
  • 1 pc Minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp Ground sesame
  • 130 g Noodles
  • 300 ml Tonkotsu soup
  • 1 set All toppings

Equipment

  • 1 Heavy bottom stock pot
  • 1 Fine mesh skimmer
  • 1 Bone saw
  • 1 Instant read thermometer

Method
 

SAUCE
  1. Add Dried Shiitake Mushrooms 3pc, Hidaka Kombu 12g, Dried Scallops 20g and Sababushi to a container. Add Water 320ml until ingredients are submeraged, cover and leave overnight in thridge.
  2. Add overnighashi & ingredients into a sauce pan.
  3. Add Hon Mirin 70ml and Cooking Sake 40ml to sauce pan.
  4. Cook at low heat until temperature reach about 70C, Keep simmering for 40min.
  5. Stop fire and strain dashi. Dashi is done.
  6. Pour Dashi 260ml into a cooking pot.
  7. Add Usukuchi Shoyu 80ml, Thai Fish Sauce 20ml and Sea Salt 30g to a cooking pot.
  8. Start cooking sauce at low heat and stir until all ingredients are fully dissolved.
  9. Add Oyster Sauce 25g and stir to mix. Ramen Sauce is done.
NOODLES
  1. Add Water + Egg 145g, Salt 5g and Kansui 5g into a measuring cup. Stir until Kansui ution is fully mixed. Add Hokkaido Ramen Flour 400g to a large mixing bowl.
  2. Combine Kansui solon and Flour.
  3. Using a roller, Pr into a smooth dough.
  4. Use noodle machine to form smooth and long dough.
  5. Cut into medium thin noodles. Noodles are done.
TONKOTSU SOUP
  1. Add Pre Boiled Pork Bone 1kg, Chicken Carcass 500g and Water 2.5L to a large soup pot.
  2. Start boiling with strong fire.
  3. Remove scum as soup starts to boil.
  4. Change to low heat and add Pork Fat 300g.
  5. Simmer 2hours.
  6. Switch to high heat and maintain soup at boiling point for 40min.
  7. Refill water to the original level.
  8. Add Onion 1pc. Continue to boil for 40min.
  9. Refill water to original level again and continue to boil 40min.
  10. After the 3rd boil, the soup turns a milky color. Stop boiling and strain soup.
  11. Tonkotsu Soup is done.(about 1.5L)
OIL
  1. Sliced Garlic 100g.
  2. Add Pork Lard 100g to a sauce pan and start cooking at low heat.
  3. Add Garlic.
  4. When Garlic turns golden brown remove about 1/4 portion and leave aside.
  5. When Garlic chips turn darker brown, remove the same portion and leave aside.
  6. Remove a larger portion just before garlic gets burnt and keep only a little bit.
  7. Turn off stove and leave aside to cool.
  8. Add the remaining garlic oil and burnt garlic int a mortar.
  9. Add all previously set aside garlic ships.
  10. Grind until black oil forms. Black garlic oil is done.
CHASHU
  1. Spread about 5g Salt all over Pork Shoulder Loin 500g and leave aside for 30min.
  2. Use kitchen towel to dry the water that came out of meat.
  3. Add Koikuchi Shoyu 50g together with meat, in a bag and seal.
  4. Sous vide at 65C for 2hour 50min.
  5. Lightly char all sides on a sauce pan. Chashu is done.
TOPPING
  1. Slice Shironegi 1pc thinly and soak in water for 10min.
  2. Slice Spring Onions thinly.
  3. Cut Chashu into thick slices.
  4. Spring Onions, Chachu, Ajitama, Sliced Black Fungus, Menma, Shironegi. Toppings all done.
BLACK GARLIC OIL TONKOTSU RAMEN
  1. Add Ramen Sauce 35ml.
  2. Add Minced Garlic.
  3. Add Ground Sesame 1tsp.
  4. Boil Noodles 130g for 1.5min.
  5. Add Tonkotsu Soup 300ml.
  6. Add boiled Noodles.
  7. Add all toppings and garlic oil.
  8. Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen is done.

Video

Notes

  • Oil tastes too bitter → garlic burnt → reduce heat
  • Oil flavor too weak → garlic not cooked long enough
  • Broth too thin → boil harder or longer
  • Broth oily → separate fat or skim more
  • No aroma → temperature too low for mayu
 
All Tools I Use

Step-by-Step Recipe

Ingredients

for SAUCE

  • DRIED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS 3pc
  • HIDAKA KOMBU 12g
  • DRIED SCALLOPS 20g
  • SABABUSHI 20g
  • WATER 320ml
  • HON MIRIN 70ml
  • COOKING SAKE 40ml
  • USUKUCHI SHOYU 80ml
  • THAI FISH SAUCE 20ml
  • SEA SALT 30g
  • OYSTER SAUCE 25g

for NOODLES

  • WATER + EGG 145g
  • SALT 5g
  • KANSUI 5g
  • HOKKAIDO RAMEN FLOUR 400g

for TONKOTSU SOUP

  • PRE BOILED PORK BONE 1kg
  • CHICKEN CARCASS 500g
  • WATER 2.5L
  • PORK FAT 300g
  • ONION 1pc

for OIL

  • SLICED GARLIC 100g
  • PORK LARD 100g

for CHASHU

  • PORK SHOULDER LOIN 500g
  • SALT 5g
  • KOIKUCHI SHOYU 50g

for TOPPING

  • SHIRONEGI (WHITE PART) 1pc
  • SPRING ONIONS 1pc
  • CHASHU
  • AJITAMA 1pc
  • SLICED BLACK FUNGUS
  • MENMA

for BLACK GARLIC OIL TONKOTSU RAMEN

  • RAMEN SAUCE 35ml
  • MINCED GARLIC
  • GROUND SESAME 1tsp
  • NOODLES 130g
  • TONKOTSU SOUP 300ml
  • ALL TOPPINGS

Methods

STEP 1 : SAUCE

1. Add Dried Shiitake Mushrooms 3pc, Hidaka Kombu 12g, Dried Scallops 20g and Sababushi 20g to a container.

2. Add Water 320ml until ingredients are submeraged, cover and leave overnight in the fridge.

3. Add overnight dashi & ingredients into a sauce pan.

4. Add Hon Mirin 70ml and Cooking Sake 40ml to sauce pan.

5. Cook at low heat until temperature reach about 70C, Keep simmering for 40min.

6. Stop fire and strain dashi. Dashi is done.

7. Pour Dashi 260ml into a cooking pot.

8. Add Usukuchi Shoyu 80ml, Thai Fish Sauce 20ml and Sea Salt 30g to a cooking pot.

9. Start cooking sauce at low heat and stir until all ingredients are fully dissolved.

10. Add Oyster Sauce 25g and stir to mix. Ramen Sauce is done.

STEP 2 : NOODLES

1. Add Water + Egg 145g, Salt 5g and Kansui 5g into a measuring cup. Stir until Kansui solution is fully mixed.

2. Add Hokkaido Ramen Flour 400g to a large mixing bowl.

3. Combine Kansui solution and Flour.

4. Using a roller, Press into a smooth dough.

5. Use noodle machine to form smooth and long dough.

6. Cut into medium thin noodles. Noodles are done.

STEP 3 : TONKOTSU SOUP

1. Add Pre Boiled Pork Bone 1kg, Chicken Carcass 500g and Water 2.5L to a large soup pot.

2. Start boiling with strong fire.

3. Remove scum as soup starts to boil.

4. Change to low heat and add Pork Fat 300g.

5. Simmer 2hours.

6. Switch to high heat and maintain soup at boiling point for 40min.

7. Refill water to the original level.

8. Add Onion 1pc. Continue to boil for 40min.

9. Refill water to original level again and continue to boil 40min.

10. After the 3rd boil, the soup turns a milky color. Stop boiling and strain soup.

11. Tonkotsu Soup is done.(about 1.5L)

STEP 4 : OIL

1. Sliced Garlic 100g.

2. Add Pork Lard 100g to a sauce pan and start cooking at low heat.

3. Add Garlic.

4. When Garlic turns golden brown remove about 1/4 portion and leave aside.

5. When Garlic chips turn darker brown, remove the same portion and leave aside.

6. Remove a larger portion just before garlic gets burnt and keep only a little bit.

7. Turn off stove and leave aside to cool.

8. Add the remaining garlic oil and burnt garlic int a mortar.

9. Add all previously set aside garlic ships.

10. Grind until black oil forms. Black garlic oil is done.

STEP 5 : CHASHU

1. Spread about 5g Salt all over Pork Shoulder Loin 500g and leave aside for 30min.

2. Use kitchen towel to dry the water that came out of meat.

3. Add Koikuchi Shoyu 50g together with meat, in a bag and seal.

4. Sous vide at 65C for 2hour 50min.

5. Lightly char all sides on a sauce pan. Chashu is done.

STEP 6 : TOPPING

1. Slice Shironegi 1pc thinly and soak in water for 10min.

2. Slice Spring Onions thinly.

3. Cut Chashu into thick slices.

4. Spring Onions, Chachu, Ajitama, Sliced Black Fungus, Menma, Shironegi. Toppings all done.

STEP 7 : BLACK GARLIC OIL TONKOTSU RAMEN

1. Add Ramen Sauce 35ml.

2. Add Minced Garlic.

3. Add Ground Sesame 1tsp.

4. Boil Noodles 130g for 1.5min.

5. Add Tonkotsu Soup 300ml.

6. Add boiled Noodles.

7. Add all toppings and garlic oil.

8. Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen is done.

Troubleshooting & Tips

  • Oil tastes too bitter → garlic burnt → reduce heat
  • Oil flavor too weak → garlic not cooked long enough
  • Broth too thin → boil harder or longer
  • Broth oily → separate fat or skim more
  • No aroma → temperature too low for mayu

Related Recipes

If you enjoy this bowl, you may also like:

Final Notes

Black garlic oil transforms tonkotsu from a simple white broth into a bold, aromatic bowl with depth and personality.
Once you master the timing and temperature, you’ll be able to customize the intensity and aroma to your taste.

Enjoy your Kumamoto-style tonkotsu —
creamy, smoky, aromatic, and unforgettable.

If you’d like to make authentic ramen like this recipe, you can make your own with all the ingredients and cooking utensils!

For more broth styles, noodle guides and oil variations, check out the full Ramen Recipe Index.
→RAMEN KAONASHI TOP

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