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!