Napa cabbage soup with meat dumplings

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1/3 lb ground pork

• 2 or 3 small dried black mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 30m, squeezed drye, then finely chopped

• 1/4 cup finely minced yellow onion

• 4 teaspoons fish sauce

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 small shallot, sliced

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock

• 2 cups water

• 1 lb or half a small head of napa cabbage, cut in small pieces

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

• 5 cilantro sprigs, thinly sliced

Steps

Combine the ground pork, mushrooms, onion, 2 tsp of the fish sauce and black pepper in a mixing bowl

Using a fork, mash the meat and mix until ingredients are well blended and sticky. Set aside

Heat the oil in a medium pot over moderate heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds.

Add the chicken stock, water and the remaining fish sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce heat slightly.

Using a tablespoon, scoop up a heaping amount of the meat mixture and drop it in the soup. Finish making all the dumplings and add to soup. Cook, skimming the surface as needed, until dumplings are done, about 15 minutes.

Add the cabbage and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with green onions and Cilantro.