enriching spicy pork and kale soup

One of the biggest challenges of cooking midweek is the prep work involved. I have recently happily moved into a tiny one bedroom with a miniature kitchen and almost no counter space, so I appreciate the simplicity of this recipe. I recommend buying the bagged kale at your local store if you would like to skip the step of washing and destemming. I was inspired by a recipe from the January 2014 issue of bon appétit. The broth was rich, the spice was right on and the noodles were both delicate and added the needed contrast to the hearty greens. You can substitute dandelion greens, chard or another variety of kale if you prefer.

1/2 lb ground pork
2 garlic gloves
2 tsp. finely grated ginger
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp vegetable oil
salt and pepper
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
4 cups kale
4 scallions, sliced
2 tbsp brags amino acid
1 tsp fish sauce
8oz rice noodles

Mix pork, garlic, ginger and cumin and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Heat oil in  a soup pot over medium heat. Add pork and brown, breaking up with your spoon. Once the pork is cooked through add the broth and water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes until the flavors meld. Add the kale, scallions, soy sauce and fish sauce and cook until the greens are tender. Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to directions, drain and set aside. Once the soup is ready, place noodles in each bowl and ladle the soup over them. It was even better the next day after the broth had developed more!