Cellophane Noodle Soup with Rice with Lemongrass and Lime

Cellophane Noodle Soup
4 large dried shiitake mushrooms
.5 oz dried lilly buds
2 garlic cloves, halved
3.5 oz white cabbage, chopped (I am using green as white was not readily available where I live)
5 cups boiling water
4 oz cellophane noodles
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs light brown sugar
3.5 oz block tofu, diced
fresh cilantro leaves

1. Soak the shiitake msuchrooms in warm water for 30 minutes. In a separate bowl, soak the dried lilly buds in warm water also for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, put the cucumber, garlic, and cabbage in a processor and process to a smooth paste (I am going to be using a blender here as I have not purchased a food processor yet.) Scrape the mixture into a large pan and add the measured boiling water.
3. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain this stock into another pan, return to a low heat and bring to a simmering point.
4. Drain the lilly buds, rinse under cold running water, then drain again. Cut off any harhd ends. Add the lilly buds to the stock with the noodles, soy sauce and sugar and cook 5 minutes more.
5. Strain the mushroom soaking liquid into hte soup. Discard the mushroom stems, then slice the cpas. Dived them and the tofu among four bowls. Pour the soup over, garnish with cilantro and serve.

(page 185 of Thai and South East Asian Cooking and Far Eastern Classics by Deh-Ta Hsiung, Beckiy Johnson and Sallie Morris)