Pseudo Chinese noodle soup

 - from Amanda

the advantage of this soup is that you can cook it in 20 minutes when you get home from work and it seems impressive and is a full meal.  The key is having all the ingredients:

dry noodles - either Japanese Udon or rice Vemacelli

dried wood ear mushrooms

ground pork - I freeze small servings so I can pull one out for an individual soup

frozen shrimp

a green vegi - traditional is baby bok choy but I can only get that at the Chinese grocery so sometimes I use spinach

fresh ginger

peanut oil

chicken broth

In the bottom of your soup pan heat oil and once hot add grated ginger and cook a minute or so

add chicken broth into the hot oil

soak the dry mushrooms in a glass of water until they re-hydrate and add them to soup

add green vegi

add the pork - I just put in the frozen lump and let it cook apart (you can also make it without meat and it is just fine)

add a few shrimp

as soon as it boils and the meat is cooked it is done

cook the noodles per the instructions (Udon takes a few minutes, vermacelli are pre-soaked in warm water and added at the end)

serve broth over noodles

the real Chinese soup this is based on is also super fast and delicious - it is very light

you do all the above except no shrimp and no noodles and you use baby bok choy.