Homemade Pho
Ingredients:
1 large onion, quartered (leave skins on if they’re clean)
2 medium knobs of ginger, cut in half lengthwise
Avocado oil or similar
1-2 fresh leeks, greens and whites, roughly chopped and rinsed
2-3 large carrots, roughly chopped
8-12+ garlic cloves
1 fresh lemongrass stalk or 1/2 cup dried lemongrass
5 whole cloves
5 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
8oz mushrooms, shiitake preferred but any will do
Water or Meat Broth
Topping & Eating Ideas:
Protein
Pan-fried tofu in tapioca starch (this is our fave!)
Thinly sliced beef
Pork
Chicken (good use for canned chicken)
Tempeh
Veggies
Carrots
Cabbage
Broccoli or Cauliflower
Bean sprouts
Zucchini or other squash
Thinly sliced onions
Jalapenos
Mushrooms
Garnishes & Toppings
Thai basil
Cilantro
Green onions
Lime juice
Sriracha
Hoisin sauce
Culantro
Mint
Crispy chili oil
Instructions:
Step 01:
Arrange onions & ginger in a large cast iron. Drizzle avocado oil over them & toss to coat. Broil the vegetables until charred all over, flipping them with tongs as needed.
Step 02:
Heat more oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add leeks, carrots, and garlic. Stir to coat in the oil, then cover and cook for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and the colors of the vegetables are vibrant.
Step 03:
Add charred onions & ginger, mushrooms, and all remaining ingredients (spices & seasonings) to the stockpot, top with water or broth - around 4 quarts. If you want to multiply the batch, feel free to adjust ingredients and use extra water or broth at this step. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for at least 1 hour.
Step 04:
Strain broth with fine mesh sieve and portion into jars if planning to preserve, or add back to a pot on the stove to continue for fresh eating.
Step 05:
If preserving, follow canning instructions based on vegetable or meat stock you used. Example: I made a vegetable based broth, so I pressure canned my quarts for 35 minutes as instructed in the Ball Canning Blue Book.
Step 06:
If eating fresh, bring the broth back to a boil on the stove. Add your prepped vegetables that you’d like cooked to the boiling broth & cook until they reach your desired tenderness.
Step 07:
Add your noodles to the broth and cook for instructed amount of time. Alternatively, you can cook your noodles in a separate pot if you don’t plan to use all the broth right away.
Step 08:
Add noodles and vegetable to bowls. Top with broth.
Step 09:
Add the rest of your garnishes, sauces, and toppings. Enjoy with chopsticks and a spoon, a fork, or whatever works best for you! Slurping is encouraged :)
Do you have any questions?
As always, I encourage you to send me a message on my Instagram account (@calicocowacres) or email me if you have any recipe questions or need advice while making it. I want my recipes to be something you can adapt and make your own - and I’m happy to help you do it!
