Vietnamese Faux Pho Soup

'Knock my socks off!' Helina Efrem

Good day followers, isn't it nice that winter is back to pay us a visit? Yay snow!
Well, I'm here today with another recipe request and might I add, a challenging request at that! My old friend Helina has asked for a soup recipe that will 'knock her socks off'. She didn't ask for anything in particular. Nope, nothing about ingredients or flavours, just her socks being knocked off... Tough one, wouldn't you agree?! But, also very exciting!
To figure this one out, I started to think about the last time that my socks got knocked off! It was at last year's Fall Cottage Life Show. I had a sample of a Vietnamese pho soup made by Monda Rosenburg and it was delicious! A unique blend of cinnamon and star anise (pictured below) with garlic and ginger make this vigorous broth awake the senses. Thin slices of meat and rice noodles, served with lively garnishes on the side make this soup a pleasure to eat. With so many vivid flavours, this pho (pronounced 'fuh') is simply fantastic! Traditional phos are made either with beef (pho bo) or chicken (pho ga). But, since I'm feeling a bit adventurous, I'm going to stray and add some shrimp, mushrooms and carrots. Helina, put your socks on and get ready!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Vietnamese Faux Pho Soup
(serves 2)

2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 onion, sliced
2 gloves garlic, sliced in half
1 litre stock, beef, chicken or vegetable (preferably homemade), low in sodium
1 slice ginger root, cut 1 cm thick
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cup sliced seasonal veggies (I used carrots and shiitake mushrooms)
1 cup thinly cooked or raw sliced meat, tofu or shrimp
2 cups rice noodles, fresh or cooked (follow package instructions)
sea salt

Garnishes:

1/2 lime, cut into wedges
hot sauce, I recommend Sriracha hot garlic chili sauce (our fave!)
a handful of beansprouts, fresh cilantro, Thai basil and mint

Heat the oil in a medium pot on medium heat. Add in the onion and garlic, fry until lightly browned, 3 to 4 mins, stirring occasionally. Pour in the stock, add the ginger, cinnamon, star anise and sugar. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to low and simmer with a lid on for about 10 mins.
Meanwhile... Arrange the garnishes neatly on a plate. Get out your serving bowls and the divide the cooked rice noodles between them, set aside. Also place the cooked meat into the bowls.
If your protein is raw, add the meat/shrimp/tofu to the simmering broth and cook fully (about 30 seconds or so). Remove and divide between the serving bowls. Add the sliced vegetables to the pot, return lid and cook for 3 to 4 mins more. Remove the ginger slice, cinnamon stick and star anise and if needed, adjust the seasoning with a pinch of salt. Ladle the broth equally into the bowls. Serve immediately with the garnishes. An ngon mieng nhe!

So, so yummy! I really hope you like it, Helina!
Now, I know I sound like a broken record, but go ahead and make this faux pho your own! Add different veggies or try different noodles. So easy to do, just be adventurous! Oh, by the way, it's no mistake that I have made this soup to serve two... Having the garnishes on a communal plate makes for a fun sharing experience, perfect for Valentine's Day! Also sharing a bottle of an off dry Riesling or Gewurztraminer is guaranteed to add to the romance. Enjoy!
So followers, have a great weekend and Valentine's Day and I will be back next week with another culinary adventure!