Comfort food extraordinaire!
Perfect, perfect perfect for a grey, rainy winter London day’s brunch.
Quantities are up to you really - I used one sheet of dried vermicelli noodles and one chicken breast for two, but hey - sometime’s I’m hungrier than others and would have eaten it all to myself.
So just choose how much looks and feels right to you. It’s all going to be good (and taste delicious).
For two today, I used:
1 sheet of dried rice vermicelli noodles, soaked in hot water (bring to the boil, add noodles, remove from heat) for 5 minutes
a few dried porcini mushroom, also soaked in hot water until needed - I used a ladleful of the water from the saucepan that the noodles were soaking in
pork mince, about 200 - 250g
a handful of fresh coriander leaves
white pepper
1 red birds eye chilli
1 clove of garlic
1 piece of ginger
cooking oil - I like to use a spray oil
water
about 1/3 of a Knorr chicken stock cube
fish sauce
light soy sauce
Once the noodles have soaked for about five minutes, drain, rinse with cold water and keep to one side to add at the end.
Scrunch the pork mince with about half the coriander leaves, chopped finely, and about 1/4 teaspoon white pepper and then - using wet hands - shape into small meatballs and set aside.
Mince the chilli and garlic, peel the ginger and either cut into slices or grate finely (I had slices today but tried grating it the next time and preferred that as it’s a stronger ginger flavour).
Also remove the mushrooms from their liquid (keep the liquid!) and cut into small pieces.
Put a non-stick over a medium heat with a little cooking oil (I used 20 sprays of my spray oil) and add the chilli and garlic. Add a splash of water too to stop it from sticking and then add the meatballs and cook, stirring, so they are sealed on all sides - add another splash of water if needed.
Pour in enough water to make whatever quantity of soup you want and bring to the boil.
Reduce to a simmer and throw in the ginger, crumble in the piece of stock cube and add a tablespoon of the reserved mushroom water (and now discard the rest). Also add a good slosh each of light soy sauce and of fish sauce.
Simmer until the pork is cooked - probably 6-8 minutes but do pull one of the meatballs apart to check.
Throw in the noodles and cook for another minute, stirring, to combine and ensure it’s all heated through.
That’s it! Serve topped with the rest of the fresh chopped coriander, if liked.
This is my current favourite warming winter dish - I hope you like it too.
