Vegetarian Phở

We adore phở, and believe the Vietnamese make it with some kind of ancient magic. There's something incredibly satisfying about the intricately spiced broth, tender rice noodles, and mix of tart lime, spicy sriracha, savory hoisin, and fresh vegetables that define a good bowl. Our favorite phở-shop has a long list of different toppings (mostly meat and seafood) but, a creature of habit, I inevitably order phở chay (vegetarian).

We made phở tai (rare beef) from scratch months ago and while delicious, it was very time-consuming, and in spite of thoroughly straining and skimming the broth, it tasted oily! That's one word you shouldn't ever need when discussing phở. This quick and easy meatless version lacks a little meaty depth, but more than makes up for that with a perfectly spiced broth and a clean taste. Without a protein source, this dish is extremely light, so we paired it with a spicy Japanese eggplant dish which will be posted soon.

Serves 4


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 white onions, unpeeled, halved
• 1 large pc ginger (about 4") halved lengthwise
• 8 cloves garlic, unpeeled, halved
• 1 cinnamon sticks, about 3" in legnth
• 5 pods star anise
• 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 3 cardamom pods
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 Tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 Tbsp whole peppercorns
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• salt, to taste
• 1 crown broccoli, florets separated and stalk sliced
• 8 shitake mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 2 baby bok choy, sliced thickly
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 3 green onions, sliced on diagonal
• rice stick noodles
• bean sprouts for garnish
• cilantro and thai basil for garnish
• thinly sliced bird chili or red jalapeno
• lime wedges
• hoisin and sriacha for garnish
• Optional: Tofu, seitan, etc...

 DIRECTIONS:

1. Place onion halves, ginger and garlic clove halves on foil lined baking sheet and place under the broiler to char. Flip over and char the other side. (You can also do this over a flame, but I find this time consuming).
2. Place spices (cinnamon through peppercorns) in large soup pot and toast over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. 
3. Add charred onions, garlic, ginger and vegetable broth. 
4. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer, uncovered for about 40 minutes.
5. Remove large chunks and strain broth through a seive.
6. Bring clear broth back to a simmer, stir in soy sauce and salt, if necessary.
7. Cook rice stick noodles according to package instructions (or usually you just add to boiling water and simmer until tender, drain and rinse with cold water).
8. Steam vegetables (broccoli through carrots).
9. Prepare bowls: divide noodles into bowls, divide steamed vegetables, ladle broth on top. Serve with plate of garnishes (bean sprouts, chilies, lime wedges, hoisin and sriacha).