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Pork pho (noodle soup)

Posted on November 7, 2012 by redtomcat — Leave a comment

I was in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) earlier this year for business and was introduced to Pho – (pronounced Fuh) for breakfast,usually beef. I like it so much we now grow Vietnamese basil. If you don’t have all the spices you could substitute a tsp. of powdered allspice – it’s not quite the same but it’s close. The Vietnamese usually use rice noodles but I have often replaced them with egg noodles which take just a little longer to cook.

Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 10 minutes + resting. Serves 2 large appetites.

Ingredients

  • 1 pork tenderloin (this one is 462g – and about two inches across)
  • 1 tbsp. oil
  • 2 tbsp. lime juice
  • 2 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp. fish sauce
  • 250g fine rice noodles
  • 1 clove garlic grated
  • 3 fat spring onions finely sliced
  • 2cm fresh ginger, grated (or a tbsp. of ginger paste)
  • 1 litre chicken stock
  • 300g beansprouts
  • 175g baby pak choi, torn into pieces
  • 2 chilis chopped finely (more if you like it)
  • 2 vietnamese basil leaves
  • Square of muslin containing:
  • 2 cloves, 1 tsp. coriander seeds, 1 star anise, 2.5 cm. cinammon stick, 2 cardamom pods

Method

  1. Mix the lime juice, soy, minced garlic and fish sauce and coat the pork
  2. Leave to marinade for 15 minutes
  3. While it’s marinading – Bring the stock to the boil and reduce to a simmer.
  4. Add the spice bag to the stock and leave to infuse
  5. Add a tbsp. of oil to a frying pan and heat until smoking.
  6. Sear the tenderloin all over and leave on one side to rest.
  7. Bring the stock back to the boil then reduce to a simmer
  8. Add the noodles to the stock.
  9. Slice the pork as thin as you can (it will finish cooking in the stock)
  10. Add the spring onions, sliced chili and basil leaves
  11. Add the pork
  12. Add the beansprouts and then the pak choi
  13. Allow the pak choi to wilt in the hot stock
  14. Serve in deep bowls with extra sliced chilli and soy sauce on the side

Variants

Replace the pork with thin sliced beef, chicken, prawns, fish, vegetables or even tofu. Though tofu and fish will need to be cut thicker.

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Posted in Soup, Spicy

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