Steps

1. Remove the core from 300g of Cabbage and lightly rinse a few outer leaves.
   🕒 01:40
2. Separate the washed cabbage leaves, press them together tightly, and roughly chop them into large, bite-sized pieces. Place them in a large bowl. The key here is to cut them large; cutting them too small will result in a loss of texture when simmered.
   🕒 02:22
3. Loosen the roots of 1 bunch of Komatsuna (approx. 250g), wash the roots thoroughly, and drain the water.
   🕒 04:09
4. Roughly chop the Komatsuna into 5cm (2-inch) pieces and add to the bowl with the cabbage. The key here is to cut the vegetables slightly larger so they retain some texture when cooked, rather than becoming completely mushy.
   🕒 05:21
5. Thinly slice 20g of Ginger, keeping the skin on.
   🕒 06:06
6. Trim the root ends of 2 cloves of Garlic, cut them in half lengthwise, and peel. Remove any green sprouts if present.
   🕒 06:24
7. Lightly smash the garlic cloves with the back of a knife. The key here is that smashing the garlic helps to release its aroma more easily into the oil in the next step.
   🕒 07:11
8. Cut 200g of Pork Belly into bite-sized pieces.
   🕒 07:56
9. In a pot, add 1 tbsp of Sesame Oil, 1.5 tbsp of Doubanjiang (Chili Bean Paste), the smashed garlic, and the sliced ginger.
   🕒 09:19
10. Slightly tilt the pot and cook over low heat, stirring gently until fragrant and the red oil is extracted. The key to deliciousness here is extracting the red oil.
    🕒 09:38
11. Once fragrant, turn off the heat and add 2 tbsp of Cooking Sake (Rice Wine). Scrape the bottom of the pot to lift any browned bits of seasoning.
    🕒 10:44
12. Add 2 tsp of Light Soy Sauce, 2 tsp of Oyster Sauce, 2 tsp of Chicken Bouillon Powder, 1.5 tbsp of Miso Paste, and 10 shakes of Black Pepper. Mix gently. The key here is that if you are using regular chicken bouillon powder, reduce the amount of light soy sauce slightly. Adding miso paste makes the flavor more approachable for home cooking.
    🕒 11:19
13. Add 750ml of Water and bring to medium heat.
    🕒 12:08
14. Once the soup boils, add 50g of Mung Bean Vermicelli. The key here is that the chewy texture of the vermicelli is a highlight of Mala Tang.
    🕒 14:48
15. Next, add the cut pork belly, separating the pieces so they don't clump together. The key here is that the scum from the pork also adds depth and complexity to the soup, so there's no need to remove it.
    🕒 15:10
16. Finally, add all the cabbage and Komatsuna, and lightly ladle some soup over them to combine.
    🕒 15:51
17. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
    🕒 16:49
18. After 10 minutes, reduce the heat to low and add 1 tbsp of Mala Oil (Medicinal Island Chili Oil) (or regular chili oil). The key here is that if you are sensitive to spice, you can substitute the finishing chili oil with sesame oil. If using regular chili oil, add ground Sichuan peppercorn to taste at this point.
    🕒 17:31
19. Ladle the ingredients and soup into bowls, and garnish with cilantro (coriander) as desired. Enjoy!
    🕒 18:19