Ramen soup with kimchi and bacon

Ingredients:

• 4 x 120g packages of fresh instant noodles or 85g packages of dry noodles (no seasoning packets needed)
• 0.5 cup + 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 4 green onions, coarsely chopped
• 4 cm ginger root, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 0.5 cup kimchi + 1/4 cup kimchi juice and extra cabbage for serving
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• 6 thick slices of bacon
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 and 3/4 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons yellow miso paste
• 2 tsp. sweet rice wine mirin
• Halved soft-boiled eggs, sliced ​​green onions and sliced ​​nori, for serving

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil.
2. In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil until hot but not smoking. Turn off the heat. Add half the green onions and ginger. Let cool for 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender and add kimchi cabbage, sesame seeds, and rice vinegar. Coarsely chop in a blender. Transfer the kimchi pesto to a small bowl and set aside. Rinse the blender jar with hot water.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon in the remaining vegetable oil, turning occasionally, until crisp, about 12 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble two slices. Drain most of the rendered fat, reserving 1 tablespoon. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic, remaining green onions, and ginger. Cook for about 1 minute, then add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and the crumbled bacon. Simmer gently until the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the kimchi juice, miso, mirin, and the remaining 1 1/4 cups of chicken broth. Leave the blender lid slightly ajar and cover with a kitchen towel to catch any splatter. Blend until smooth.
5. Add the noodles to boiling water and cook until al dente, about 1.5 minutes for fresh noodles and 2.5 minutes for dry noodles. Drain and divide the noodles among four soup bowls. Ladle the hot broth into the bowls. Top with kimchi pesto and the remaining 4 slices of bacon. Add the egg, green onions, nori, and kimchi.