Instructions: Dried shiitaki mushrooms and kombu seaweed for the broth, and a refrigerator stash of ground turkey sauteed with ginger and garlic

(recipe follows).

To make broth: Since the 60s Ive kept dried shiitake mushrooms and kombu seaweed in my pantry for making quick soup broth. There is no actual recipe except for making sure to briefly (10 minutes) soak these dried vegetables before bringing them to a boil. Put about 2 cups of water in a saucepan and add the seaweed and mushroom. I usually break off a 2 inch piece of dried seaweed - it swells when wet to at least twice its dried size - and toss in 3 very small or 1 medium dried mushroom. After the mushrooms and seaweed re-hydrate, I bring them to a boil for just 2 or 3 minutes, then remove the seaweed and reduce the heat to a low simmer until ready to use as a broth for the soup. Adjust quantity using the same proportions.

To make turkey saute: White or dark meat, antibiotic/hormone-free ground turkey is available at most natural foods stores meat departments. I usually buy about 1 pound of the white meat version and saute it with a little oil, a few cloves of chopped garlic, a 1 inch knob of chopped fresh ginger, and a couple pinches of salt.

This mixture cooks into a flavorful crumble that stores well for several days in the refrigerator and is ready to add by the spoonful to most any broth or soup.

The kim chi: Kim chi is the fiery Asian version of sauerkraut. Its made from Chinese cabbage, garlic, ginger and chilies (the jars will usually be labeled mild or hot). Most supermarkets carry ready-made kim chi in the refrigerator case. I like the preservative-free brands available at natural food stores.

The bamboo shoots: If using canned shoots (available at Asian grocery stores or in the ethnic foods section of supermarkets) just rinse and slice thinly. If using freshly harvested shoots, carefully peel off the outer leaf sheath material to get to the tender core. Rinse well and steam in a little water

(using a pan with a tight-fitting lid) until tender. To use, slice thinly.

To assemble and serve: Using a large mug, pile, as desired, one or two spoonfuls each of turkey saute, kim chi, tofu (cut into cubes) and thinly sliced bamboo shoots. Top the pile with a few drops of hot chili oil and rice vinegar and cover with boiling hot broth. Stir gently, allowing the salty kim chi to flavor the broth. Adjust seasoning with soy sauce.

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