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Vegetable pho
Phở chay: rice noodles in a clear, spiced broth of charred onion, ginger and star anise
Pho began in the north, around Hanoi and Nam Định, and is now eaten all over Vietnam, often for breakfast. Phở chay is the Buddhist vegetarian version served in temple kitchens and chay restaurants: the deep, clear broth comes from charred onion and ginger, toasted star anise, cinnamon and cloves, simmered with daikon, carrot, sweetcorn and dried shiitake instead of beef bones. Silky flat rice noodles, golden tofu and mushrooms go in the bowl, and everyone adds their own bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime and chilli at the table. Chef's tip: char the onion and ginger until properly blackened in patches and toast the spices in a dry pan until they smell like warm Christmas cake; that smoky, perfumed base is what makes the broth taste like pho and not vegetable soup.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the broth
For the bowls
To serve at the table
Method
0/11 doneStep 1: Char 2 onions and 2 ⅛ oz ginger: hold them with tongs over a gas flame, or lay them cut side up under a very hot grill, turning now and then, until the skins are blackened in patches and the flesh smells sweet and smoky. Cool slightly, then rub off the loosest burnt skin under the tap; a little black left on adds colour and flavour.
10 minStep 2: Put 4 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, 1 tbsp coriander seeds and 1 black cardamom pod in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat. Toast, shaking the pan, until fragrant and a shade darker; stop before they smoke or the broth turns bitter. Tie them in a square of muslin or put them in a tea infuser.
3 minStep 3: Put the charred onion and ginger, the spice bag, 10 ½ cups water, 10 ½ oz daikon (white radish), 2 carrots, 1 corn on the cob, 1 apple or pear and 6 dried shiitake mushrooms in a large pot. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a lazy simmer, with just a few bubbles breaking the surface. A hard boil makes a cloudy broth; skim off any foam in the first few minutes.
5 minStep 4: Simmer, half covered, for 40 minutes. Lift out the spice bag after 25 minutes, once the star anise is clearly there, so it doesn't take over.
40 minStep 5: While the broth simmers, soak 10 ½ oz dried flat rice noodles (bánh phở) in a bowl of warm water for about 30 minutes, until pliable but still firm. Drain.
Step 6: Heat 1 ¾ tbsp vegetable oil in a non-stick pan over a medium-high heat. Fry 10 ½ oz firm tofu for 3–4 minutes a side, without moving it, until golden and crisp at the edges. Season lightly with a pinch of the 2 tsp salt and keep aside.
8 minStep 7: In the same pan, add 1 ¼ tbsp vegetable oil and fry 7 oz oyster mushrooms over a high heat for 3–4 minutes, until browned and slightly crisp; let them sit before you stir so they colour rather than steam.
4 minStep 8: Strain the broth into a clean pot. Slice the shiitake and keep them for the bowls; discard the rest. Season with ½ oz rock sugar or white sugar, the remaining 2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp tamari or gluten-free soy sauce, then taste: it should be savoury, gently sweet and fragrant, slightly saltier than you'd drink on its own, as the noodles soak it up. Keep it at a bare simmer and drop in 2 pak choi for 1 minute.
Step 9: Bring a separate pan of water to the boil. Dunk one portion of noodles at a time in a sieve for 15–20 seconds, just until soft and silky, shake well and tip into a deep, warmed bowl.
3 minStep 10: Top the noodles with tofu, mushrooms, sliced shiitake and pak choi, then ladle over the boiling-hot broth to cover everything. Scatter with 3 spring onions and 1 handful fresh coriander.
Step 11: Serve straight away with a plate of 7 oz bean sprouts, 1 bunch Thai basil, 2 limes and 2 red bird's eye chillies for everyone to add, and 4 tbsp hoisin sauce and 4 tbsp sriracha on the side for dipping the tofu, not for stirring into the broth.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 78 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does vegetable pho take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of star anise?
- ½ tsp aniseeds or fennel seeds per star.
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