Hototay Soup

Method

1. Prepare the chicken, pork and liver on a separate board from the vegetables. Trim liver connective tissue and cut it into small pieces so it cooks evenly. Keep all raw proteins refrigerated until the pot is ready.
2. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Soften onion for 3 minutes, add garlic for 30 seconds, then add pork and chicken. Stir for 3–4 minutes to separate the slices and lightly colour them without drying them out.
3. Add stock, fish sauce and white pepper and bring to a simmer. Skim if needed and cook gently for 8–10 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through and reach 74°C before the later vegetables are added.
4. Add liver, carrots and mushrooms and simmer for about 5 minutes. Check the centre of a liver piece reaches 74°C; it should not remain raw merely to keep it pink. Add a little hot water if the broth has reduced excessively.
5. Add shrimp and cabbage and simmer another 2–3 minutes until the shrimp are opaque and the cabbage has softened but is not limp. Taste the broth and add more fish sauce only if needed.
6. Keep the soup gently simmering and pour in the beaten eggs in a thin stream, stirring slowly to form ribbons. Cook for another minute until fully set, then add spring onion. This home version does not place an uncooked egg on the finished bowl.
7. Serve hot without noodles; rice can be served separately. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers and use within 2 days. Reheat once to 74°C, stirring so all the mixed ingredients heat evenly.