Clear Soup with Glass Noodles

Fatty pork mince for very lean pork mince

The original is over 20% fat, and you get the signature little slick of pork floating in the soup. Swap it for lean mince and you keep the bounce of the meatballs, but lose the mouth-coating richness.

What it costs you. The broth stays crystal clear, and the texture's there. The flavour loses a bit of the slap-you-round-the-face porkiness. Still, you get double the meat for the same energy, which feels like cheating, but isn't.

Drop the fried garlic oil completely

There's no getting round it: all those little gold droplets on the surface are pure pleasure and pure fat. If you're ruthless, you can get the garlic punch by simmering the garlic in the broth instead, but that heady, fried edge disappears.

What it costs you. Without the oil, the fragrance softens. It's aromatic, but not intoxicating. If your favourite bit is the spoonful of golden fat at the top, you'll feel shortchanged. If not, you'll sleep easy.

Increase the vegetables and pork a bit to keep the bowl full

Glass noodles are low in protein and pretty much just for texture. By adding extra carrot, lean pork, and more spring onion, you fill the bowl out and get enough substance to call it lunch, not a starter.

What it costs you. You'll need a bit more chopping and shaping the meatballs, but you won't finish the meal still peckish. The original is all oil and nostalgia; this is lunch you can walk away from.