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| This is one dish in which you can really taste the love <3 |
Explore the potential
of what a soup
can be...
You've all heard of the incredibly filling and delicious Vietnamese dish, Pho.. right? If you havn't, head over to your local asian restaurant, grab a bowl, and let your previous conceptions of what a soup is be shattered while you read on. Whether you have or you havn't though, you're in the right spot!
Pho. A hearty traditional Vietnamese soup composed of a special broth, noodles, sliced beef, and a few fresh garnishes. Pho Ga is the same except that sliced chicken is used instead of beef. Pho can also be made vegetarian but I won't be covering that today... sorry! I guess I'll have to make a separate post later on for that. Typically a whole chicken is rinsed well and placed in a large stockpot of boiling water to begin creating the broth and cooking the chicken. A few whole spices are then added along with a large whole white onion for flavour and to maintain broth clarity (I have no idea why this works). Once fully cooked the chicken is stripped of it's meat which is then sliced and saved. Done right, the broth is so flavourful that additional seasoning isn't necessary. I wanted to add more pizzazz to my chicken to really make it stand out though.
For the ambitious cook: I firstly carved the whole chicken into choice cuts: breasts, legs, thighs, and wings, keeping the wing tips for the stock. As I carved I would remove the skin and discard it, I find leaving the chicken skin on doesn't allow your marinade to absorb as much as bare meat does so I opt to remove it. I then carefully de-boned the legs and thighs, removing fat pockets as I went (I sometimes get pretty anal about leaving fat on my meat, it's more work but I like the cleanness, the choice is of course yours), leaving me with clean, boneless meat, and a chicken carcass with extra bones. I placed the carcass, bones, and wingtips into a sealable bag, added salt, closed, & massaged. The meat went into another sealable bag along with smoked paprika, chili powder, and cayenne for a little heat. After sealing the bag and massaging it thoroughly so the spices evenly coated the contents I left them both in the fridge overnight so the flavours would permeate and develop. The next morning I fried the meat in my cast iron skillet to a gorgeously rich, dark red crust and sliced after cooling. Although more time consuming, treating the chicken this way developed incredible flavour, interest, and was a very cool project. This would be for a more adventurous or ambitious cook, the average cook should stick to the basic recipe for their first attempt to get the feel of things!
While this may seem like quite a bit of work in the kitchen, Pho allows for more passive cooking compared to many other dishes, and the basic recipe is even easier. Although when you consider your average chicken can easily provide more than 6 meals, it's an excellent way to spend a couple hours on Sunday in the kitchen!
P.S I know some people get caught up with the whole "gross" aspect of handling meat but honestly, would you rather the dirty guy in the back of KFC handling your precious chicken? Maybe, but preferably not. No offense to any employees of the brand though, you guys make awesome stuff. Anyways, try replacing your "eww" mindset with that of carving and sculpting a masterpiece!
Let's cook some Pho!
Pre-Method
There is no "one way" to make Pho. Pho broth can be made many different ways with slight variations in technique and ingredients, with many different garnishes that can be used when serving too. This is great because it means you can alter the recipe depending on what spices and ingredients you can/can't find (but please, just visit Bull Barn before thinking you can't find a spice). If any spices sound unfamiliar just Google up an image to give you an idea! The only MUST in pho making is that whole spices have to be used. This gives the broth all the necessary flavours and additional aroma while retaining clarity after straining which is a key trademark of pho. When serving there are a variety of garnishes that can be used. Some examples of traditional garnishes are:
- cilantro, (thai) basil, parsley
- red onion, yellow/white onion, green onion
- bean sprouts, chili peppers
- sriracha sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, worcester sauce, hoisin sauce, fresh lime juice
Lastly, NEVER sauce another's broth! Give them the options but let them make the choice.
A Guideline,
You'll need:
- 1 whole chicken, washed. If making the advanced recipe ensure chicken is parted with skin removed. If more chickenyness is dezired you can purchase chicken backs or other boney parts to add more flavour, blanch these first for a few minutes to clean.
- 10-14 cups water depending on chicken size, should cover the chicken by at least an inch
- 2 large yellow onions or equal amount of smaller ones
- 4 inch stick of ginger
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2-3 tbsp fish sauce (optional)
Choose 3 only:
- 1 to 1.5 tbsp whole peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1.5 to 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 2 star anise
- 4 whole cloves
Serving & Garnish - This is what's in my ideal bowl of Pho. Amounts are up to you, but for me, more is better :)
- Rice Noodles (dried, size & type is your choice!)
- cilantro leaves
- red onion, sliced extremely thin
- green onion, sliced thin
- bean sprouts
- sriracha sauce
Method
Creating the Broth - 3 condensed steps
1. Pick 3 of the provided whole spices. Set a dry skillet on med. heat & let it come to temp. Place largest spice in pan & toast for 30 seconds, then add smaller ones and toast for 1 min, moving occasionally. This brings the spices to life, set aside.
2. Add water to a large stockpot and bring to boil. While waiting, add unpeeled onions and unpeeled ginger to a pan and set under broiler for approx. 10 minutes or until beginning to char. This cooks them slightly and they take on a sweeter taste. When charred, let cool, then peel. Ensuring chicken is thoroughly washed, place in pot when water is boiling. Then add toasted spices, peeled onion & ginger, salt, sugar, and simmer gently over med-low heat uncovered for 25 - 30 minutes depending on chicken size. Skim off any scum or foam that rises during this time.
At this point the chicken is cooked, the flesh should be firm but still
yield a bit to the touch. Using tongs, remove to a large bowl and flush with cold water to stop the cooking process. Once chicken has cooled enough to handle (15 mins), use a knife to remove the breasts, legs, & thighs to a plate. Do not slice at this point. Instead, cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate.
Ensure broth maintains a gentle simmer during this time. Never parted a chicken?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iyrkjvr23Qc
3. Add the leftover carcass to the broth and adjust heat to maintain the gentle simmer. Cook another 1 to 1.5 hrs with the lid on. Avoid a hard boil. Halfway through, taste for seasoning! If you think more oomph is needed, add salt or fish sauce, only a little at a time. Taste again. Or if things seem a bit intense, try a little more sugar to balance it out. Once finished cooking, strain the broth into another pot/container/jars using either a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth, or any other method that provides a fine filter. Small freezable containers are ideal for those with little fridge space, just reheat when needed!
Creating the Bowls - 5 steps
You can layer these however you want! This is just my method. Much of the garnishes can be prepped ahead of time. My best friend's family will fill containers with the ingredients so assembly throughout the week is quick and easy, I like quick and easy :)
1. Prep Onions. Halve your preferred red/white/yellow onion(s) and finely slice. These are eaten quite fresh so the thinner you can make the slices, the more enjoyable to eat. Fresh onion too intense? You can soak the slices for up to 30 minutes to make them more mild. Green onions can be cut however your inner chef sees fit! A few of these in the bottom of your bowl is the first step.
2. Prep Herbs. Pick leaves from stems and wash. If making enough for the week, dry them well. A salad spinner is great for this. Don't have one? Place them in the middle of a clean towel, fold up the sides, then spin and shake! Add some of these to your bowl next.
3. Prep Chicken. All of the chicken can be sliced ahead of time if dezired. 1/4 inch thick is ideal. If you don't want to eat the skin, feel free to remove it before slicing. Add several slices to your bowl.
4. Prep Noodles & Broth. A couple ways you can do this. Dry noodles can be pre-soaked in a large bowl with cold water for up to 1 day in advance. This is great when many bowls are being made in a short time span (family dinner, Pho for every meal :P etc.). Bring a med-sized pot of water to a boil. Place dry or pre-soaked noodles in a sieve or metal strainer and dunk for 20 to 90 seconds, stirring gently. The size/thickness of noodle will determine the cook time. Once only just cooked through (you may need to try one to confirm), remove and let water drain back into pot. If you overcooked them, run under cold water to halt them cooking further. Once drained, add to bowl. If using bean sprouts, you can blanch them for 30 seconds using the same method to soften slightly, IF you want.
In another pot (or the same one if noodle cooking is complete, of course empty the noodle water first), add broth and bring to a boil. 2 cups max per bowl. Once starting to rapidly boil, remove from heat and pour into bowl(s). The hot broth will reheat the cold chicken and bring all ingredients up to temperature.
5. Final Garnish. The bottom of your bowl now has all the right stuff. Add interest and colour to the top of your bowl using the same ingredients, strewn about in an appealing fashion. Any of the sauces mentioned in the Pre-Method can now be served alongside the bowls, and each person can pick and choose at their pleasure.
Done! Serve HOT!
While Pho making is a labour of love, understanding the process will allow you to efficiently create one of the best soups in the entire world! And after tasting, trust me, every bite is worth it :)
*Bonus Marks
- Serve with 1/8 to 1/4 of a fresh lime on the side and squeeze in the juice. This gives amazing freshness and tang to the savoury broth. Highly recommended!
- For more authenticity and full experience, use chopsticks and a chinese spoon instead of western utensils. Definitely makes things more interesting :)
- Slurp! When eating Pho, the act of slurping is respectful and a huge compliment to whoever put in the time and love to make it. In Vietnamese culture, not slurping or finishing the broth can offend the cook and make them think you didn't like or appreciate their gracious gift, so slurp on!
**As always!
Let me know how it turns out for you! Feel free to post your questions, comments, and stories below :)
