Recipe: Shredded Pork & Noodle Soup

Shredded Pork and Noodle Soup:

Makes 4 servings:

3 shiitake or chinese black mushrooms
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
2 oz. egg noodles
2 green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths
salt
8 oz. pork, shredded
1 Tbs. rice wine
2 tsp. cornstarch
3 Tbs. peanut oil
4 oz. bamboo shoots, julienne
4 cups chicken stock.

Soak mushrooms in 1 cup warm water for 30 minutes. Drain, then squeeze dry, reserving the soaking liquid, strain liquid through a cheesecloth. Discard the hard stalks, then slice the mushroom caps into thin strips.

Put the pork in a bowl with the soy sauce, wine, sugar and cornstarch. Stir well, then leave to marinate for about 20 minutes.

Heat half the peanut oil in wok; stir-fry the pork until it almost cooked through. Remove from wok with slotted spoon and drain. Heat the remaining oil in wok, add the green onions, then the mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Stir, then add salt to taste. Return the pork to wok together with the strained soaking liquid from the mushrooms. Simmer for a couple of minutes, then remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Cook the noodles in boiling water for about 4 minutes. Drain under hot water.

Heat chicken stock in saucepan to boiling.

Place the noodles in a warmed large serving bowl, or divide into individual serving portions. Pour over the boiling stock, then add the pork, vegetables and mushroom stock. Serve hot.