Pho- Chicken clear soup with rice noodles

 Pho is a popular Vietnamese soup that is made by preparing a clear broth,  it begins by using meat or and cooking a fresh batch of clear broth. To this hot broth, they add in slices of cooked meat, bean sprouts, spring onions, etc.

In Vietnam they usually make it as beef broth, you can also make it by preparing a chicken broth.

I am preparing chicken broth, from scratch by using chicken legs on the bone with skin on. To make it aromatic I  add whole roasted spices,  along with charred onion and ginger. 

You can also prepare vegetable broth by adding carrots, sweet potato, radish ,ginger, garlic, green onions  along with spices, cilantro, charred onion. The spices used are star anise, coriander seeds, black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds are all dry roasted on a pan,  and then added to the broth, while preparing it. 

After , the chicken broth is ready it is strained and kept aside. Boiled rice noodles, bean sprouts, and chicken are then placed in a soup bowl and pour the hot broth to soak the noodles. 

Left over noodles can also be stored separately and the left over broth and chicken can be stored separately,  for later use.

                                                         

Chicken Pho 

Ingredients for preparing chicken pho broth 

Toppings for pho bowl

                                      

You can broil them in the oven 

                                         

I further charred them on the pan, it was faster ;)

Dry roast the spices

Dry roast corriander seeds

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a big pot and add the charred onions, ginger, spices, sugar.

Add chicken 

Add water 6 cups 

Cover and allow to boil for 30 to 40 mins 

Add salt 

Continue cooking 

Add fresh coriander leaves

Chicken appears cooked :)

.    

Strain the broth

                    

Beautiful broth 

                                                                     

Start arranging all ingredients in the bowl. Don't forget to squeeze lemon juice.

Pour the broth to soak all the ingredients and enjoy:)

Ingredients for preparing broth 

2 pounds chicken thighs or leg meat with skin on

1 large yellow or white onion large (this can be char broiled in the oven) before adding it to the broth water, while preparing the soup broth.

1 medium sized fresh ginger sliced and charred.

2 tsp Tamari sauce ( it's similar to soy sauce) But it is made from soy and rice and is more aromatic and is gluten free.

1 medium sized piece of rock sugar or 2 tsp regular or brown sugar can be added to the broth

Salt as per taste ( Tamari is also added so be careful and not add too much of salt)

Spices to be roasted 

2 tsp black pepper crushed 

For spices:

Gather together and dry roast

2 star anise

1/4 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

2 sticks cinnamon

3 to 4 cloves

2 black cardamon

In a pan, on medium heat dry roast the above spices for 5 to 6 minutes on medium heat. Later, these get added to the broth, while preparing it.

For the toppings:

You can let your imagination run, and add as per your taste. Like I've seen people also like to add avocado slices, mushrooms, tofu, bean sprouts, etc along with cooked rice noodles.

I used bean sprouts (some people like to soak it in warm water before using it) , rice noodles, chicken,

and garnished it with Thai basil, coriander leaves and spring onions. Do squeeze some lemon juice on the top and add some Hoisin sauce or fish sauce or hot sauce ( Sriracha) as per your taste.

For making the broth:

1. First, heat the oven, put it on broil temperature of about 450 degrees F and place the peeled onion, cut into halves on a baking tray along with ginger piece and let it char broil for about 5 to 6 minutes. remove and keep aside. Spray some olive oil on the baking sheet, before adding the onion and ginger.

2. Next, take a big pot or utensil, any is fine except try to use a big sized one to hold almost 6 to 7 cups of water to prepare the broth. ( I like to use my Dutch oven, for even heating ) Heat  2 tsp olive oil, add in the charred onion and ginger. Add the chicken and about 1.5 liters of water, add in the spices. Next, add tamari sauce and salt as per taste (but not too much) and 2 tsp crushed black pepper.

Add in rock sugar and allow the broth to boil for another  40 to 50 minutes. Keep checking and as the chicken cooks, remove and de bone the chicken and keep it separately. Taste the broth for seasoning.   

3. Boil a packet of rice noodles for 5 to 6 minutes , strain and keep aside.

4. Slice 2 to 3 spring onions and keep aside

5. 100 gms Tofu  is cut into 1 inch cubes. If using tofu or mushrooms, lightly saute it on a separate pan and keep aside.

6. Allow the broth to boil. In an individual soup bowl, start by adding rice noodles, add thin sliced chicken, some green onions, bean sprouts, tofu slices ( They can be sautéed in a pan before adding to the soup bowl) Now using a ladle, add spoonfuls of prepared broth. Garnish with some more spring onions or thinly sliced onions. If you like, you can ass a teaspoon of Hoisin sauce or fish sauce to the broth, before eating. Red Boat is a nice brand of the fish sauce, available on Amazon too.

Garnish with finely chopped spring onions,  finely chopped coriander and Thai basil leaves and enjoy a hearty yum pho soup.

Enjoy!