Noodle Soup with Soy-Cooked Pork (Slack Season Tan Tsi)

PreparationMake pork topping: Soak mushrooms in hot water to cover until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain well, discarding soaking liquid and stems, then finely chop caps. While mushrooms soak, finely chop pork belly (partially frozen meat will be easier to chop; return pork to freezer if it's too thawed to chop), then bring to room temperature. Heat wok over high heat until a bead of water dropped onto cooking surface evaporates immediately. Add peanut oil, swirling to coat wok evenly, and heat until just smoking. Reduce heat to moderate and stir-fry pork until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and shallots and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, wine, and rock sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add water, licorice root, and salt and bring to a boil. Transfer to clay pot and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until mixture has reduced and thickened to a sauce-like consistency, about 1 hour. Discard licorice root. Cook noodles and assemble dish: Bring stock to a simmer in a 3-quart saucepan. Blanch bean sprouts in 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling unsalted water 30 seconds, then transfer to individual serving bowls. Boil noodles in same water according to package instructions, then drain and divide among 12 bowls. Sprinkle with cilantro and spoon pork topping over noodles. Add enough stock to almost cover noodles, then add 1/4 teaspoon vinegar to each bowl and top with 1/4 teaspoon mashed garlic and 1 shrimp. Cooks' note:

PreparationMake pork topping: Soak mushrooms in hot water to cover until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain well, discarding soaking liquid and stems, then finely chop caps. While mushrooms soak, finely chop pork belly (partially frozen meat will be easier to chop; return pork to freezer if it's too thawed to chop), then bring to room temperature. Heat wok over high heat until a bead of water dropped onto cooking surface evaporates immediately. Add peanut oil, swirling to coat wok evenly, and heat until just smoking. Reduce heat to moderate and stir-fry pork until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and shallots and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, wine, and rock sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add water, licorice root, and salt and bring to a boil. Transfer to clay pot and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until mixture has reduced and thickened to a sauce-like consistency, about 1 hour. Discard licorice root. Cook noodles and assemble dish: Bring stock to a simmer in a 3-quart saucepan. Blanch bean sprouts in 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling unsalted water 30 seconds, then transfer to individual serving bowls. Boil noodles in same water according to package instructions, then drain and divide among 12 bowls. Sprinkle with cilantro and spoon pork topping over noodles. Add enough stock to almost cover noodles, then add 1/4 teaspoon vinegar to each bowl and top with 1/4 teaspoon mashed garlic and 1 shrimp. Cooks' note: