Pork and Noodle Soup with Shiitake and Snow Cabbage

Cutting the pork is easiest using a cleaver or large chef's knife: Slice thick crosswise pieces, stack them, and then cut matchstick-size pieces.

Yield:

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 ounces medium-size dried shiitake mushrooms (dried forest mushrooms)
2. 1 cup cold water
3. 6 cups low-salt chicken broth
4. 2 (1-inch-diameter 1/8-inch-thick slices) peeled fresh ginger
5. 1 pound fresh Shanghai noodles
6. 3 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil, divided
7. 12 ounces pork butt, trimmed, cut into 2-inch-long matchstick-size strips
8. 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine) or dry Sherry
9. 1 tablespoon soy sauce
10. 1 (6 1/2-ounce) can preserved snow cabbage, well drained
11. 1 cup drained canned bamboo shoot strips (most of one 8-ounce can)
12. 3/4 teaspoon sugar

Directions

1. Place shiitake mushrooms in medium bowl. Add 1 cup cold water; let soak until soft, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving soaking liquid. Squeeze mushrooms dry. Cut off stems; discard. Thinly slice caps.
2. Combine broth, ginger, and reserved mushroom liquid in large saucepan; bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat to low.
3. Boil noodles in salted water until tender but still firm to bite, about 3 minutes. Drain; divide among 6 bowls.
4. Heat 14-inch-diameter flat-bottomed wok or heavy 12-inch-diameter skillet over high heat until drop of water evaporates on contact. Add 2 tablespoons oil, then pork, spreading evenly. Cook without stirring 20 seconds; then stir-fry pork until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Stir in rice wine and soy sauce. Transfer to plate.
5. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to same wok (do not clean) over high heat. Add mushrooms; stir-fry 1 minute. Add snow cabbage, bamboo shoot strips, and sugar; stir-fry 30 seconds. Stir in pork and any accumulated juices. Stir-fry 1 minute. Top noodles with pork mixture. Divide hot broth among bowls.

Notes