Clear soup with silken tofu and pork balls (Kaeng chuet tao hu mu sap)

1. Soak the glass noodles in lukewarm water for 10 minutes, then cut shorter with scissors.

2. Pound the coriander roots or stalks with the garlic and white pepper into a paste in a mortar; work half of it into the minced pork with the soy sauce and shape into small balls with wet hands.

3. Thinly slice the remaining garlic and fry it in the oil until golden; set the fried garlic aside with its oil.

4. Bring the stock to the boil, stir in the rest of the coriander paste and drop in the pork balls; simmer for 5 minutes until they float.

5. Add the Chinese cabbage cut into large pieces, then after 2 minutes the cubed silken tofu and glass noodles; simmer for 2 more minutes and season with the fish sauce and soy sauce.

6. Serve sprinkled with spring onions and coriander leaves and drizzled with the fried garlic oil.

Tip: "Kaeng chuet" means "mild soup": a soothing, non-spicy dish spooned alongside the spicy dishes of a Thai meal. Silken tofu is very fragile, so stir gently at the end.