This recipe is super simple and delish. First I like to start with a quality chicken or beef broth. If possible, make yours from scratch. It will save you money and you can have many reusable containers frozen and ready to go from one batch of bones vs. buying cartons of broth. The added benefit is controlling your salt level and ingredient quality. If you prefer to buy broth, Aneto is the best ingredient list. No added artificial flavors and a robust broth.
I chose not to use fish sauce, sugar or cardamom in this recipe. You may find you would like to add them but I find it unnecessary. Instead of adding sugar, a touch of maple syrup will do.
For this dish, I used my own broth from the bones of a locally sourced, roasted chicken. Since I used some previously frozen broth, I also added free range air chilled organic chicken breast and finally some pad thai noodles and locally grown spring onions and cilantro.
Purchasing perishables directly from the farm and my meats, noodles and other veg from my natural market, gives me the best quality of ingredients with the lightest footprint.
Pho comes with bean sprouts and Thai basil but they are not always available in your area, so you can omit as I have.
Pho Ingredients
16 oz. bone broth – I used chicken this time
4 inch piece of ginger – halved and oven roasted until lightly charred
1 onion – white or yellow – halved and oven roasted until lightly charred
8 oz. rice noodles – your choice – soaked in warm water until soft
2 tbsp coconut aminos, braggs or tamari – gf soy sauce
1 scallion finely diced
1 handful of cilantro minced
1 sprig of Thai basil – ok to omit if you cannot find it
pink sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Pho Spices –
1 tbsp coriander seeds
3 full star anise
2 full cloves
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1 cinnamon stick
Directions –
Heat oven to 425º and place cut ginger and onion on a baking sheet and roast until lightly charred and very fragrant. Remove from oven.
Add spices to a heated pot, no oil, large enough to hold 32 oz. of liquid. Warm spices until they become fragrant. Add in broth and another 16 oz of water. Then add in the charred onion and ginger.
Bring to a boil and roll for about 5 min then turn to a high simmer until well flavored about 20 minutes.
Cut any meat you like extremely thin and if using beef, it can cook in the hot broth right before eating. If using chicken, give it a quick cook on the stove top with a dash of salt and fresh ground pepper, then add to broth just before eating.
While broth is cooking, heat water to a boil in a separate pot and add rice noodles, stirring until fully separated. Remove from heat and let sit until soft and al dente.
Take boiled broth and strain over a tight woven sieve to remove sold spices and return liquid to pot.
Drain noodles.
In a Pho bowl, add desired level of softened noodles and meat to your bowl, then add broth to cover and fill your bowl. Add in your aminos, braggs or tamari, cilantro and scallions and basil if available.
Enjoy right away!
If you have leftover broth, store in the fridge for a few days or a few months in the freezer. I don’t suggest storing it with noodles. Best to always make fresh rice noodles.
