The procedure below begins with a slab of pork belly, and describes exactly how I cooked this bowl of noodle soup. If, instead of a slab, you have pre-sliced pork belly, just skip the parts about parboling and partially simmering the meat in water. Instead, lightly brown both sides of the pork slices in a little oil, pour in broth (you can get away with just water), add the soy sauce, sake, mirin and ginger, and proceed from there.
Slide in the slab of pork belly and boil over high heat, uncovered, for ten minutes.
Drain the pork, rinse under the tap making sure to remove visible impurities.
Clean out the pot, boil another six cups of water, add the pork and bring to the boil.
Cover the pot, set the heat to low and simmer the pork for 20 minutes, flipping it over after ten minutes.
Turn off the heat, scoop out the pork and leave to rest on the cutting board for 15 minutes.
Cut the pork into slices (between a quarter inch and half an inch is good).
Put the pork slices into the cooking liquid and turn on the stove again.
Pour in the soy sauce, sake and mirin, and add the ginger.
Cover the pot and simmer the pork for 30 to 40 minutes. If the liquid dries out before the cooking time is up, add more water, no more than half a cup at a time (you only need about two and a half cups of broth by the end of cooking time).
While the pork simmers, peel the potatoes and carrot and cut into two-inch cubes.
Trim the ends and sides of the green beans, and cut each bean into two.
In an oil-free pan, toast the sesame seeds until nicely browned and nutty in aroma.
Cook the instant ramen per package directions, drain and divide among three bowls.
Add the potato and carrot cubes, and green beans to the pork, and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Taste the broth, and add more soy sauce, if needed.
Using kitchen tongs (or chopsticks), lift the pork belly slices one by one and arrange on one side of the noodles in each of the three bowls.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables from the broth and arrange in the bowls.
Ladle hot broth directly over the noodles, pork and vegetables.
Sprinkle in toasted sesame seeds.
Serve your sweet soy sauce pork belly ramen immediately.