Recipe: Soba Noodle Soup with roast pork and Bok

Soba Noodle soup with roast pork and Bok choy:

Whole-wheat spaghetti can replace the soba noodles used here or rice noodles or any other noodles you like.

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
a 3/4-pound piece well trimmed boneless pork loin
8 cups chicken broth
six 1/8-inch slices peeled fresh gingerroot
3 star anise
2 large garlic cloves
1/2 pound dried soba noodles
1/2 pound bok choy (about 1/2 small head)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a small bowl stir together hoisin, sugar, five-spice powder, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. In a small glass baking dish brush pork with hoisin mixture and roast in middle of oven 40 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in center registers 160 F. Let pork stand on a cutting board 15 minutes. Cut pork crosswise into thin slices and halve slices diagonally.

In a large saucepan skim any fat from surface of broth and bring broth to a boil with gingerroot, star anise, garlic, and remaining tablespoon soy sauce. Remove pan from heat and steep broth, covered, 30 minutes. Pour broth through a sieve into another large saucepan.

While broth is steeping, in a 5-quart kettle bring 3 1/2 quarts salted water to a boil and add noodles. When water returns to boil add 1 cup cold water and bring to boil again. Repeat procedure and simmer noodles 5 minutes, or until just tender. In a colander drain noodles and rinse under cold water. Drain noodles well and divide among 4 large soup bowls.

Bring broth to a boil. Cut bok choy crosswise into 1/8-inch slices and add to broth. Simmer mixture 2 minutes, or until bok choy is crisp-tender. Divide pork, bok choy, and broth among bowls.Serves 4 as a main course.

Each serving about 430 calories 9 grams fat (19% calories from fat).