I had never made pho before creating this recipe. And to be honest, I hadn’t eaten it much either. But last nights dreary weather here in Melbourne got me dreaming about hot, spicy broth, fresh herbs and meaty mushrooms. So I decided to give it a go!
I am aware that pho usually takes time to make (particularly the broth), so this may not be an extremely authentic recipe, however I wanted to create something simple, quick and easy to make (even for a lazy gal like me). This literally took me under half an hour to make, and I definitely did not skimp out on flavour.
You may notice that I’ve chosen to use a beef style stock powder for this recipe. You could most definitely use vegetable stock instead, but I think this adds a (dare I say) meatiness and depth to the flavour of the broth. Massel is a vegan and gluten free brand which sell a chicken and beef style stock as well as a classic vegetable stock. If you’re in Australia, you should be able to find them at your local supermarket! They’re my go-to for my stock needs.
Okay, the recipe.
Ingredients for the stock:
- 1tbsp sesame or olive oil
- 2tbsp ‘Beef Style’ stock powder
- 8 cups water
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1tbsp minced garlic
- 2tbsp chopped ginger
- 3 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 red chilli
You will also need rice or vermicelli noodles. Whichever you prefer. Alter the amount based on how many you want to serve. I used 1/3 packet for one serving. This broth recipe should make roughly 3 serves.
For the toppings, you can use whatever you fancy, but I personally enjoy:
- Fresh basil, mint and coriander
- Bean sprouts
- Sliced red chilli (I use the remaining half from the broth)
- Sautéed wild mushrooms
- Baked tamari tofu
- Lime juice
- Sesame seeds
Method:
- In a large pot, add a splash of oil and bring to a heat. Then add the onion, garlic and ginger, frying until fragrant.
- Add the remaining stock ingredients and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Prepare the noodles as per packet instructions, drain and then place into the bowl you’ll eat out of.
- Prepare the toppings if necessary (slicing the herbs, cooking mushrooms, baking tofu etc.)
- Once everything is ready, pour the broth over the rice noodles using a ladle and then assemble all the toppings.
The broth gets better the second day, so if you live alone like me, you’ll get a few good meals out of this recipe. (Although, I think the experience of sharing would be pretty satisfying too.) I just wouldn’t advise preparing the fresh stuff in advance.
Enjoy!