This rice noodle soup is probably the most famous Vietnamese dish and I totally get it. What separates this one from other (South-)East Asian soups is a very clear, light and refreshing broth. But don’t worry, it still has intense flavours and is super wholesome, which makes it the perfect comfort dish for the cold days.
How to make Pho
The Broth
This is the most important component of the dish and is traditionally made by slow-cooking meat and bones for multiple hours. To provide umami and richness, we will instead use one of my favourite ingredients and simmer dried mushrooms in vegtable stock for multiple hours.
The second component, which is as important as the mushrooms, is charred aromatics (onions, ginger) and a toasted spice mix. By giving them some heat, before adding both to the broth, we deepen their flavour and release the natural oils, which will make our broth even more powerful.
Finally, vegan fish sauce (or soy sauce) and sugar are added to adjust the taste.
Rice Noodles
Pho is not pho without rice noodles, so prepare them according to the package instruction. High-quality ones, will make you soak them in warm water for about 40 minutes.
Toppings
There are multiple levels to the toppings.
Often, some of the meat, which has been used to make the broth,them is sliced and served on top. Similarly, we can remove the mushrooms, slice and optionally pan-fry them to imitate that. You can also add sliced firm tofu to add protein to your dish.
Continuing the theme of freshness, vegetables and fresh herbs are often chosen as toppings:
- Fresh coriander
- Bean sprouts
- Green onions
- lime wedges
Further, many people like to have a spicy component to the dish, so add some chilli slices, chilli oil or use sriracha.
I also recommend drizzling some kind of oil (like sesame) on top, since the broth does not provide any from the meat.
Cooking Tips
The longer the better. Reducing the broth for an extended period of time will improve its flavour. Make sure to taste the soup regularly to adjust the seasoning.
If you don’t want to buy a whole package of the required spices, most Asian supermarkets sell a package of pre-mixed pho spices.
Since this dish takes some time to prepare, make this a day project on the weekend and cook a big batch. You can always store the broth in the fridge up to a few days or leave it in the freezer for multiple months.
You can substitute the vegan fish sauce for soy sauce and the rock sugar for white sugar.
The Recipe
Zutaten
Method
- In a large pot, bring the vegetable stock to a boil, add the mushrooms and let it simmer for an hour on low heat.
- In a pan, toast the listed spices on medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes and transfer to a spice- or teabag.
- In the oven (using broiling function) or in a stainless steal pan on high heat, char the onions, scallion and ginger until brown.
- Add the aromatics and spice-bag to the pot and continue to simmer for at least 2 hours. Add rock sugar and vegan fish sauce to adjust the seasoning.
- 30 minutes before serving, taste once more and remove the aromatics and spice bag.
- In the meantime, prepare the noodles according to package instructions.
- Optionally, remove some of the mushrooms (preferably lions mane), squeeze out the liquid, slice and fry them in a pan on high heat with some oil until golden on each side
- Prepare any additional toppings.
- To a large bowl, add the rice noodles, tofu and mushrooms. Pour in the broth, and add any additional toppings. Add sesame oil, lime juice and sriracha to finish the dish.
