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:

1. In a large pot, add a splash of oil and bring to a heat. Then add the onion, garlic and ginger, frying until fragrant.
2. Add the remaining stock ingredients and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes.
3. Prepare the noodles as per packet instructions, drain and then place into the bowl you’ll eat out of.
4. Prepare the toppings if necessary (slicing the herbs, cooking mushrooms, baking tofu etc.)
5. 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!