Autumn is a great time of year to enjoy broth-based, warming soups.
However, I am just a little bored with the traditional chicken broth and beef broth soups. Imagine my delight to discover Vietnamese broth soups?
Pho (bo) and Pho (ga), beef and chicken, respectively, are Vietnamese “fast food” staples.
Pho means soup in Vietnamese and it is eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
One of the beautiful things about these soups, are their accompaniments.
In Vietnam, the soup is served with a platter of garnishes. The garnishes may be added according to personal preference.
The two following recipes have been “Americanized” and made less time consuming so that you will be tempted to taste Pho this Fall.
Try out one or both and tell me what you think — I know you will love them.
MENU
Serves 4-6
Pho Bo – Beef Soup
Pho Ga – Chicken Soup
Garnishes
Sauces
Pho Bo – Beef Soup
For the stock:
1 32 oz. can best quality
beef broth or homemade
beef broth
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 tblsps. grated ginger
9 oz. beef sirloin, sliced
thinly across the grain
1/2 lb dry rice sticks
(vermicelli) soaked in
lukewarm water for 20
minutes
rice sticks are available at
Asian Markets, like H-Mart,
and The International aisle
of most supermarkets)
1 tsp. black peppercorns
2 tblsps. soy sauce
2 tblsps. fish sauce
salt (optional)
1. Bring the stock to a gentle simmer. Add grated ginger, cloves, cinnamon stick and stir in anise.. Simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Bring the stock to boil once more, stir in the fish sauce, season to taste with salt (if needed), then reduce the heat and leave the stock simmering gently until ready to use.
3. Meanwhile, bring a pan, filled with water, to a boil. Drain the rice sticks and add to the water. Cook for about 5 minutes or until tender. You may need to separate them with a pair of chopsticks if they look as though they are sticking together.
To Serve:
1. Drain the rice sticks and divide them equally among six wide soup bowls. Top each serving with the slices of beef. Ladle the hot stock over the top of these ingredients.
2. Pass garnishes along side and let guests help themselves.
Then, using your chopsticks, lift the noodles through the layers of flavoring and enjoy the essence of Vietnam.
Pho Ga –
Chicken Noodle Soup
1 (3 lb.) whole chicken
6 whole scallions
1 thumb-sized piece of
ginger, crushed
1 tblsp. Kosher salt
3 qts. homemade or store
bought chicken stock
Fish sauce, for seasoning
1 16 oz. package dried rice
vermicelli, cooked the same
way as above.
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the chicken, scallions, ginger and salt and boil for 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat, cover the pot and let stand for 15 minutes. If your chicken is larger than 3 lbs., let stand 10 minutes longer.
2. Just before the chicken is ready, prepare a large ice-water bath. When the chicken is done, remove it from the pot (discarding the cooking liquid) and immediately submerge it in the ice water bath, which will stop the cooking and give the meat a firmer texture. Let stand 20 minutes, until the chicken is cool enough to handle easily, remove from the water and pat dry. Pull the chicken meat from the bones, discarding the bones and skin Shred the meat with your fingers; you should have about 4 cups. (This step can be done a day ahead.)
3. In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil over high heat. Taste for seasoning and add fish sauce, if needed.
To Serve:
4. Divide the rice noodles evenly among warmed soup bowls. Top each serving with about 3/4 cup of the shredded chicken. Serve immediately, accompanied with the platter of garnishes.
Then, using your chopsticks, lift the noodles through the layers of flavoring and enjoy the essence of Vietnam.
Garnishes
6-8 scallions cut into long
pieces
2-3 red Thai chilies, seeded
and finely sliced (optional)
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 large bunch each fresh
coriander (cilantro) and/
or mint, and/or Thai Basil
(my favorite herb) washed
and dried well
2 limes, quartered
8 oz. Enoki mushrooms
(optional)
1. On a platter, artfully arrange all of the above. Serve alongside your Phos.
Sauces
Hoisin sauce
nuoc mam
nuoc cham
Maggi Sauce
Soy Sauce
1. Choose one or all four sauces to pass alongside the Pho for guests to add a
s they desire.
Alexandra Troy is owner of Culinary Architect Catering, a 32-year old Greenvale-based company, specializing in private, corporate and promotional parties.
For more photos and presentation follow Culinary Architect Catering on Facebook.
Please email me photos of your dishes at party@culinaryarchitect.com.
