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Vietnamese Pho

Southeast Asian · 80 min · Medium · 4 servings

Vietnamese Pho

A clear, aromatic broth built by charring onion and ginger and steeping it with star anise and cinnamon, poured over rice noodles and tofu with a plate of herbs to add at the table.

~460 cal per serving — Calories are approximate, per serving — a guide only.

high-protein
Plan it:

Method

  1. 1

    Char the aromatics

    ⏱ 10 min

    Put the onion halves and ginger cut-side down in a dry pot over high heat and leave them until properly blackened. This char is where pho gets its depth — pale onion makes pale broth.

  2. 2

    Build the broth

    ⏱ 45 min

    Add the star anise, cinnamon and coriander and toast for a minute, then pour in the stock. Bring to a boil, then drop to the barest simmer and leave it, uncovered, to infuse.

  3. 3

    Add mushrooms and season

    ⏱ 10 min

    Add the shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce and maple syrup and simmer for another ten minutes. Strain out the onion, ginger and whole spices, then taste and adjust with more soy sauce or salt — the broth should taste slightly too strong on its own.

  4. 4

    Cook the noodles and tofu

    ⏱ 10 min

    Soak or boil the rice noodles until just tender and divide between deep bowls. Sear the tofu slabs in a dry or lightly oiled pan until golden, and lay them over the noodles.

  5. 5

    Assemble

    Ladle the boiling-hot broth over the noodles and tofu. Serve with beansprouts, Thai basil, cilantro, scallion, lime wedges and sliced chili on the side for everyone to add themselves.

Notes

Do not boil the broth once it is built — a hard boil turns it cloudy. The herb plate is not optional garnish; adding it at the table is how pho is eaten. Tagged as a soup rather than a noodle dish because the broth is the point.

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