Easy Weeknight or Anytime Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
My son and I adore Pho. He asked if I was able to make it at home. I decided to see if I could simplify, but still have my son think I hit the mark. Here it is, after passing the William test. You can whip up this flavorful broth even on a busy weeknight. Boil some rice noodles in a few minutes and the rest is just toppings and store bought sauces. The only persnickety part: buying ingredients.
Ingredients:
Broth:
2 quarts (8 c) beef broth
2 T fish sauce
2 T + 1 t sugar
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced into half moons
3 whole cloves
3 whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2-3 cardamon pods
1/2 t coriander seeds
1/2 t whole peppercorns
pinch of salt
Directions:
In a stockpot, add the beef broth and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and add the fish sauce, sugar, ginger, and onion.
For aromatics, wrap up the cloves, star anise, cinnamon, cardamon, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine into a satchel. Add satchel to broth. (You can add directly to broth because it is strained before serving.
Once aromatics are added to broth, simmer for 30 minutes partially covered. No longer!
While broth simmers, cook rice noodles to package directions and shave or slice beef as thin as possible. Prep toppings.
About 5 minutes prior to cooking time, check broth to make certain spices have infused and if you need to adjust the sweet (sugar) or the salt.
Strain the broth and return to pot so that it remains at a simmer (it needs to be hot enough to cook beef at serving time)
Bowls:
Rice noodles cooked to package instructions (I use rice vermicelli)
thinly sliced sirloin or tenderloin (mandolin to make paper thin or find shaved beef so hot broth cooks it through)*
bean spouts
thai basil or regular, whole leaves
fresh cilantro, sprigs
Scallions, sliced to green part
Jalapeno, sliced
Lime, cut into wedges
Hoisin sauce
Chili sauce such as Sirarcha
Optional: thinly sliced yellow onion, shredded carrot
Assembly:
Place thinly sliced steak into the bottom of each bowl and fill bowl with hot broth.
Add cooked rice noodles.
To keep it simple and customizable, I set all the toppings out and allow each person to top as they wish.
* If you cannot find shaved beef (my grocery store sells shaved ribeye for sandwiches so it keeps it super easy for me), slightly free the beef because it makes it easier to slice thinly.