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1
Place the pork neck bones and trotters in a large pot with the cold water, starting cold so that impurities dissolve gradually into the water and rise as skimmable foam rather than seizing into the flesh. Bring slowly to the barest simmer — never a full boil — and skim the grey foam that rises repeatedly during the first 20 minutes until the surface runs clear. Maintain this gentle simmer, skimming as needed, for 2 to 3 hours; the stock is ready when it has a pale gold colour, is transparent throughout, and has a faint but unmistakable gelatin body — a small amount cooled on a spoon should feel slightly viscous on the lip.
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2
Strain the stock through a fine sieve and discard the bones, then season with fish sauce. Taste the broth alone, undistracted — it must read as clean, slightly rounded from the gelatin, and deeply savoury, with no single note identifiable above another. This is where the dish lives or dies: if the broth tastes flat, thin, or lacks that quiet roundness, the gelatin from the bones was insufficient or the simmering time was too short, and there is no remedy at this stage.
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3
Return the strained, seasoned stock to a gentle simmer in a clean pot, then drop the minced pork balls into the broth and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Handle them without pressing or stirring aggressively, so they hold their shape and release their juices slowly into the surrounding broth rather than breaking apart and clouding it. They are done when cooked through with no pink at the centre and the broth remains clear.
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4
Add the winter melon or Chinese cabbage and the tofu cubes, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the vegetable is just tender but not collapsed and the tofu has warmed through. Pull the pot off the heat the moment the vegetable yields to gentle pressure, because a minute too long will soften it to mush and muddy the clean character of the broth.
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5
Add the drained, pre-soaked glass noodles and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, so that they finish cooking in the seasoned broth and absorb its flavour rather than tasting of plain water. They are ready when translucent and soft with the barest resistance at the centre — pull them the moment they reach that point, as overcooked noodles dissolve at the edges and turn the broth starchy and dull.
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6
Ladle into bowls and finish each with fresh coriander leaves and freshly ground white pepper. The broth in the bowl should be pale gold and transparent enough to see the bottom through it — cloudiness at this stage indicates the stock was boiled rather than simmered.