Tom yum noodle soup

Cover pork bones with water and bring to a simmer, not a vigorous boil.

After simmering 45 minutes to an hour, skim off the scum.

Add crushed garlic, cilantro roots, cracked white peppercorns and, optionally, lemongrass tops; simmer another hour.

Cook the ground pork in a little water, no added fat, seasoned with a little fish sauce.

Fry chopped garlic in just enough vegetable oil to cover until golden brown, for fried garlic and garlic oil.

Roast dry Thai chilies in the oven at 300 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes until a little darker and smoky; grind in a coffee grinder with a couple of kaffir lime leaves.

For chili vinegar, soak Thai chilies in plain white vinegar.

Blanch the bean sprouts and fish cakes a few seconds in boiling water and put in the serving bowl.

Blanch the noodles, slightly undercooked since the hot soup keeps cooking them; shake off the water and add to the bowl with the fish cakes on top and the ground pork.

Season each bowl with 2 teaspoons sugar, an equal amount of fish sauce, lime juice, roasted chili flakes and ground peanuts, then add about 6 ounces of broth.

Top with cilantro, garlic oil and, after tasting, a little chili vinegar.