Hot and Sour Noodle Soup with Pork

• Recipe by Julie Ridlon

Ingredients

1. 2 ounces rice-stick noodles (pad thai noodles)
2. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3. 10 large shiitake mushrooms (about 4 ounces), stems discarded and caps thickly sliced
4. 1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
5. 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
6. 4 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
7. 1/2 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 2-by- 1/2-inch strips
8. 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
9. 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
10. 1 teaspoon chile-garlic sauce or hot sauce
11. 1 cup snow peas, thinly sliced lengthwise
12. 3 scallions, thinly sliced
13. 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water
14. 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
15. Salt

Directions

1. Soak the noodles in a bowl of hot water until pliable, about 5 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the shiitake and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the stock and bring to a boil. 
3. Drain the noodles, add them to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat just until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the pork, vinegar, soy sauce and chile-garlic sauce and simmer until the pork is nearly cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add the snow peas, scallions and cornstarch mixture and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Stir in the sesame oil and season with salt. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.