Chinese Pork-Vegetable Broth

Every great food culture has its “penicillin,” the warm and welcoming soup that’s just the thing if you’re feeling a bit under the weather and want to crawl out from under it. Chinese tradition has several of these, but here is the simple soup I turn to most often for a chilly-weather pick-me-up.

2 tablespoons hot sesame oil

1 pound pork tenderloin, thinly sliced

1 bunch scallions, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

Sriracha chile-garlic paste to taste

5 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup water

3 cups thinly sliced bok choy

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper

½ cup sliced bamboo shoots

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

8 ounces dried Chinese noodles

1 small cucumber, sliced into matchsticks, for garnish

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add pork, all but 2 tablespoons of the scallions, garlic, ginger, sriracha and cook, stirring about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining oil and stirfry vegetables for 4-5 minutes, then add broth, water, soy sauce and rice vinegar. Stir in noodles and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook till noodles are tender, 4-5 minutes. Return the pork mixture to the pan and stir to combine. Serve garnished with the remaining 2 tablespoons scallions and sliced cucumber. Serves 6-8.