What the Pho?

I admit it...I've been a little obsessed with Pho (pronounced "fuh") of late. Ever since I saw one of the Top Chef cheftestants make it, I've been wanting to try it. I found a vegan recipe of Pho online, but since I hadn't actually tasted it anywhere, wanted to wait till I had tried it before I tried making it. So, I found the website Pho Fever and searched for restaurants in Indianapolis that serve this tasty Vietnamese noodle soup, and so far I've only tried two of them. But I'm in love with this flavorful, aromatic bowl of yumminess! I must say that I do enjoy the traditional beef version, however since I'm trying to be supportive of my vegan wife, here's the version for the non-meat-eaters:

Pho (serves 4)


Broth

• 8 cups Vegetable Stock
• 3 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce (you can use the full sodium variety, or substitute Bragg's liquid amino's)
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 inch gingerroot, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise pods
• 2 large bay leaves

Soup Ingredients

• 1 lb rice noodles
• 8 oz. seitan or tofu, drained and cut into bite size pieces OR
• 1 sliced portabella mushroom
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves (stems removed)
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (stems removed)
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 1 green chile or jalapeno pepper, sliced thin
• 1 lime cut into wedges
• Sriracha Sauce
• Soy Sauce
• Hoisin Sauce

1. Place Vegetable Stock, Soy Sauce, garlic, ginger and onion into large stock pot and bring to low boil
2. Once broth comes to a boil, reduce to simmer and add cinnamon, anise and bay leaves. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, then remove the solids with fine mesh skimmer or slotted spoon (or strain broth through strainer)
3. In separate sauce pan, bring 4 cups water to boil, then turn heat off and add rice noodles. Stir frequently until they are tender. Drain and divide them into 4 large bowls
4. Prepare seitan, tofu or mushrooms and layer them on top of noodles in bowls
5. Clean and prepare cabbage and scallions and layer in bowls on top of noodles and protein
6. Clean and de-stem Thai basil and cilantro, slice pepper and cut lime into wedges, and arrange onto a platter or in separate bowls with the bean sprouts
7. Making sure broth is steaming hot, ladle about 2 cups of broth over the noodles in each bowl. Serve immediately with the platter of garnishes and the Sriracha, Soy and Hoisin sauces. 
8. Each person flavors their own bowl with whichever garnishes they want, stirring the soup gently till ingredients "cook" in the broth. 

Be sure to squeeze a little lime in to give the soup a little zing! Oh, and you may want to just go ahead and double the recipe...I ended up using a bit more broth in each bowl 'cuz it's so tasty! Besides, it's really good the second day!