Spicy Pork and Mustard Green Soup

I recently subscribed to Bon Appetit magazine.  The first issue I received was all about adding more super healthy greens to your diet.  My husband and I love greens, but I can’t always come up with creative ways to use them (we usually default to sauteing with garlic and either onion or shallot).

This soup was scrumptious! I used some homemade stock I had in the freezer.  I couldn’t find fish stock at the store (I didn’t spend a ton of time looking for it though) and I didn’t have Sichuan peppercorns.  I think both would have added to the dish, and will try to use the next time I make this. 

I’m no expert on rice noodles, but I think it’s important to leave them separate.  We had leftovers, and kept the noodles separate from the broth.  (I’ve had leftover Pho soup from a local Asian restaurant and the next day the broth seemed gray which I assume was from the rice noodles.)


Ingredients

  • ½ pound ground pork    
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger
  • 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
  • ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 bunch mustard greens, torn (about 4 cups)
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
  • 8 oz. wide rice noodles

Directions

Mix pork, garlic, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and cumin in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add pork mixture; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring and breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8–10 minutes.

Add broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 8–10 minutes. Add mustard greens, scallions, soy sauce, and fish sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender, 5–8 minutes; season with salt and black pepper.

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
Divide noodles among bowls and ladle soup over.