• 1 pound ground pork
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 medium carrot, sliced into ½-inch coins
• ¼ head napa cabbage, cored and roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
• 8 ounces bok choy, roughly chopped (tough stems trimmed)
• 2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
• 10 ounces medium-firm tofu, drained and cubed
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce or light soy sauce, plus more to taste

• Cooked jasmine rice
• Fried Garlic
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the ground pork, garlic, white pepper, and soy sauce until combined.
2. In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the carrot. Drop spoonfuls (about 1 tablespoon) of the pork mixture into the broth to make little meatballs. They won’t be perfectly round—that’s okay. Let the meatballs cook for 4 to 5 minutes, skimming away any fat that bubbles to the surface. Add the cabbage, bok choy, and celery and cook until the bok choy has turned bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tofu and cook for another minute, then remove from the heat. Season with the salt and fish sauce, tasting and adding more if needed.
3. Serve the soup with rice, either mixed in or on the side. Garnish with fried garlic and cilantro.

Excerpted from The Pepper Thai Cookbook by Pepper Teigen.
Copyright © 2021 by Pepper Teigen.
Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.