Southern rice noodle soup

Method

1. To make the stock wash the dried prawns and soak them in water for half an hour. Remove the ‘quill’ from the dried squid, wash the squid and peel off the skin. Break the squid into pieces. Peel the turnips. If you are using pork bones, wash them to remove loose bits, put them in a large saucepan, cover well with cold water and bring to the boil. Boil until the water is frothy then tip the water out, wash the bones again and also the saucepan (this will help in achieving a clear stock). Put the pork bones (or chicken carcases) back into the saucepan, add 5 litres water, bring to the boil, skimming until the water is clear. Add the turnips, dried squid, dried prawns and a little salt. Simmer on low heat for 4 hours. If you are using pork shoulder rather than cha siew lower it into the stock during this time and cook until done. Remove and keep aside. Strain the stock into another saucepan, discarding the bones, dried prawns, squid and turnips, and add fish sauce to taste. Keep the stock hot on the stove.
2. Meanwhile soak the rice noodles in hot water for 5–8 minutes just until they soften, then drain, run some cold water through them and leave aside in the colander. Fry the pork or fish balls until brown to add flavour. Slice them and keep aside. Slice the cha siew or cooked shoulder meat thinly.
3. Put some noodles into a strainer, suspend this in the soup for a moment to heat them (they should still be a bit chewy), then drop enough for one serve in the bottom of as many individual soup bowls as you need, repeating as necessary. Put the meat- or fish-ball slices in the strainer, suspend it again in the stock until they cook and divide these too between the bowls. Next suspend mince, prawns, squid and meat – all separately – and do the same. Wash the beansprouts and put a handful of these in each bowl as well.
4. Finally divide the Chinese leeks or the celery cabbage between the bowls. Pour boiling stock over the contents of each bowl, garnish with chopped spring onions and serve immediately. Have on the table a platter containing lime wedges, a dish of sliced chilli rounds and the sprigs of herbs, together with a bowl of extra fish sauce. Leaves of selected herbs and any of the other items are to be added according to individual taste. Eat with chopsticks and a Chinese soup spoon.