Wash, peel and finely dice the carrot; finely chop green beans; shred cabbage; separate and thinly slice the white and green parts of spring onions; mince garlic and ginger. Keep tofu diced if using.

Heat 2 tsp neutral oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the white parts of spring onion, minced garlic and ginger and sauté for 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

Add carrot, green beans and cabbage. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until vegetables are slightly softened but still have some bite.

Broth & seasoning

Pour in 6 cups vegetable stock (or water) and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes so the vegetables release flavor into the broth.

Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce (if using), white vinegar, ground pepper, salt and sugar. Stir and taste; adjust salt or soy sauce to balance seasoning. Simmer for another 1 minute.

Add diced tofu (or cooked shredded chicken) into the simmering soup and heat through for 1–2 minutes.

Thickening & finishing

Make a cornstarch slurry by whisking 2 tsp cornstarch with 3 tbsp cold water until smooth with no lumps.

With soup gently simmering, slowly pour the slurry into the soup while stirring steadily. Continue to simmer for 1–2 minutes until soup slightly thickens to a silky consistency. If it becomes too thick, add up to 0.25 cup hot water to loosen.

Turn off the heat and stir in 0.5 tsp sesame oil and the green parts of the spring onion. Adjust pepper to taste (add more freshly ground black pepper for heat).

Garnish & serve

Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls. Top each bowl with a generous handful of fried crispy noodles so they remain crunchy on top.

Sprinkle with additional spring onion greens and a final crack of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately while noodles are crisp.