- 2 ounces dried wood ear mushrooms
- 3 ounces fresh Chinese wheat noodles or dried spaghetti
- 1 pound ground meat
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- 4 cups Rich Homemade Broth or canned chicken broth
- 3 tbsp Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp diced pickled mustard greens
- 1 tsp salt
- Pinch of ground white pepper
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 3 sprigs cilantro, both leaves and stems, minced
- 1 tbsp Chili Oil or a store-bought version
- In a bowl, soak the mushrooms in warm water to cover until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain. Thinly slice the mushrooms and set aside.
- Bring a medium-sized pot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with warm water, and drain again. Place the noodles in a bowl and cover to keep warm.
- To prepare the meatballs, put the meat, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor and process to a smooth paste. Scoop the meatball mixture out into a medium bowl. With wet hands, roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls, using a heaping tbsp. for each ball. Arrange the meatballs, without crowding, on a lightly greased plate.
- To make the soup, in a medium pot, combine the broth and vinegar and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the meatballs and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and pickled greens and simmer for 2 minutes more. Add the cooked noodles and cook, stirring, until the noodles are heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with some of the green onions, cilantro, and chill oil, and serve.