Tom Yum Dry Noodles (Guay Tiew Haeng Tom Yum)

Place 454g small rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with room temperature water. Let them soak for 25-30 minutes until pliable. Drain and store in the fridge for up to a week if not using immediately.

Bring water to a boil in a small pot. Add 150g ground pork and 1 tsp fish sauce. Stir until fully cooked and broken up. Remove the cooked pork with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking liquid.

Thinly slice 150g pork leg meat (or tenderloin/loin). Marinate with 1 tbsp soy sauce (estimated) and 1 tsp white sugar. Mix well until no pooling soy sauce is visible at the bottom.

Cut 150g Asian-style pork meatballs into bite-sized pieces.

Add 0.5 cup neutral oil to a small pot and heat over medium-high heat. Test with one piece of chopped garlic; once it bubbles, turn heat to low. Add 0.5 cup chopped garlic and stir frequently to avoid hot spots. Remove from heat once golden (not brown) and drain through a metal sieve, separating the fried garlic from the garlic oil. Store both in the fridge for a few months.

For each of the 4 serving bowls, combine 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp white sugar, 1 tsp roasted chili flakes, 0.5 tsp chicken bouillon powder (optional), 1 tbsp garlic oil (from step 5), and 1 tbsp ground pork cooking liquid (or water/stock). Do not stir yet.

Coarsely grind 1 cup unsalted peanuts (using a mortar and pestle, knife, or food processor). Roughly chop 4 tbsp dried shrimp (if large, then grind in a coffee grinder until fluffy). Chop 4 tbsp green onions and 4 tbsp cilantro. Prepare 4 lime wedges.

Bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Add the cut pork meatballs to a noodle strainer (or wire skimmer) and submerge in boiling water for about 1 minute until they expand and are heated through. Remove and set aside.

Add the marinated sliced pork to the noodle strainer and submerge in boiling water for about 20 seconds until the outside is cooked. Remove and set aside.

Once all diners are ready, add one portion of soaked rice noodles to the noodle strainer and submerge in boiling water for exactly 10 seconds. Remove, shake off excess liquid, and immediately transfer to a prepared seasoning bowl.

Mix the noodles thoroughly with the seasoning in the bowl. Add cooked sliced pork, cooked ground pork, cooked meatballs, bean sprouts (some mixed in, some on top), ground peanuts, dried shrimp fluff, chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, and a lime wedge (optional). Serve immediately.