Vietnamese Pork & Noodle Soup

I used buckwheat soba noodles instead of linguine to make the soup a touch more authentic.

Asian fish sauce can be found in Whole Foods and other gourmet grocery stores.  The sauce does not smell good but lends a great flavor to Asian dishes.

I used a seedless English cucumber.  In terms of the herbs, I only used cilantro because that is what I had on hand.  Lastly, definitely use fresh ginger.  Even if you don’t use ginger often, it lasts forever and makes a real difference in the recipe.

The soup was tasty and had a wonderful Asian flavor that I don’t often make at home.

• 1/4 pound linguine
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 pork tenderloin (about 3/4 pound), cut into 1 1/2-by-1/2-by-1/2-inch strips
• 6 scallions including green tops, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups water
• 1 quart canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
• 1/4 pound bean sprouts
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 lime), plus lime wedges for serving
• 1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut crosswise into thin slices
• 1 cup lightly packed mint, basil, or cilantro leaves, or a combination

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the linguine until just done, about 12 minutes. Drain the pasta. Rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly.

Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the pork, scallions, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, fish sauce, salt, water, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the pork is just done, about 10 minutes. Stir the cooked linguine, bean sprouts, and lime juice into the soup.

Ladle into bowls, top each serving with some of the cucumber and herbs, and serve with the lime wedges.