Faux Pho Food

FAUX PHO

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion, cut side down, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden, 3-4 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water, broth, star anise, and cinnamon; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until flavors meld, 7-8 minutes. Add mushrooms; simmer 2 minutes. Add scallion. Season with salt.
• Meanwhile, boil ramen until tender but still firm to bite. Drain; divide among bowls.
• Add beef slices to soup; simmer until just cooked through, about 20 seconds. Using tongs, transfer beef to bowls.
• Discard ginger, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon; ladle broth into bowls. Garnish with bean sprouts, basil, and sliced chiles.

FAUX PHO BO (VIETNAMESE BEEF NOODLE SOUP)

Steps:

• In a 6 quart stockpot, combine broth, onion, ginger, lemongrass, cinnamon, and peppercorns (tie the seasonings loosely in cheesecloth for easier removal). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare rice noodles and garnishes.
• Arrange bean sprouts, basil, cilantro, chilies, and limes on a large platter.
• To prepare rice noodles, bring 4-6 quarts of water to a boil. Add rice noodles and stir to separate. Cook until just barely tender, about 2-3 minutes. Drain well. If not quite ready to serve, rinse noodles and drain again.
• To serve, remove seasonings (except onions) from broth; keep broth hot.
• Place ½ cup rice noodles in each of 6 large, deep bowls.
• Arrange thinly sliced beef over noodles, fanning out to increase surface area. Ladle very hot broth over beef and stir to cook.
• Serve immediately. Pass garnish platter, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, and sambal oelek or sriracha sauce for people to add as desired.

FAUX CHICKEN AND SHRIMP PHO

Steps:

• Bring large pot of water to boil, then remove from heat.
• Add noodles to the pot; let stand until tender, about 15 minutes, then drain and set aside in a large serving bowl.
• Combine chicken broth, onion slices, fish sauce, sliced baby carrots and chicken in a soup pot; bring to a simmer.
• In a cheesecloth or tea infuser, add the whole cloves, sliced ginger, garlic, star anise and place in the soup pot with the chicken.
• Simmer the chicken, vegetables and spice mixture for about 30 minutes, until chicken is tender and cooked through.
• Remove chicken and cool it until you can cut into cubes; place back into the simmering soup pot.
• Remove the cheesecloth or tea infuser, discard ingredients inside.
• Add bean sprouts and shrimp and simmer for about 5 more minutes.
• Ladle the soup into the large serving bowl with the noodles.
• Add the green onions, cilantro and mint leaves to the serving bowl.
• Serve with fresh lime wedges.

QUICK FAUX PHO

Steps:

• Put broth in a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• NOTE - I like to simmer the broth with a 1" piece of fresh ginger (quartered) and a cinnamon stick for 30 minutes, remove the items and bring to a boil. It makes it not-so-quick, but it is more flavorful.
• Add the noodles, reduce heat to medium and boil gently, uncovered, 6-8 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the spinach and basil for the last minute of cooking time.
• Divide beef among 4 serving bowls. Ladle soup over the pastrami, sprinkle with green onions and drizzle with chili sauce.
• Serve with lime.

FAUX PHO - QUICK AND EASY VIETNAMESE STYLE NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Soak rice noodles in very, hot tap water.
• Heat oil in a large, deep skillet on medium hot.
• Saute garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, with the beef until the beef is 85% cooked through. .
• Add broth, fish sauce, spices and sugar.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
• Rinse rice noodles and chop into 4-5 inch pieces.
• Place noodles in bowls, pour broth and meat over noodles.
• Add any or all garnish desired.
• Personal Note: I like mine with super spicy so I add tons of jalapeno and siracha sauce, along with all the veggies and herbs. You can also do this with pork, fish, shrimp, or chicken, or use veggie stock and tofu if you want to keep it vegetarian.

FAUX PHO

Steps:

• Cook the ramen according to package directions, using only half the seasoning packet. Add lime juice, sugar, fish sauce and red pepper flakes.
• When noodles are fully cooked, add steak and immediately turn off heat. Transfer to a serving bowl (the residual heat will cook the steak) and add bean sprouts and herbs.