A Pho-inspired Broth

My friend Des introduced me to pho about four or five years ago. It changed my life. I looked into how to make it at home and I discovered that Andrea Nguyen has a class on Craftsy about how to make pho. So, duh, I bought it. I was still eating meat at at the time, but I was starting to seriously cut it out of my diet. I also didn't realize that authentic pho involved bone boiling and other serious meat-involved steps. I mean, I should have known, that's why it's so darn good.

The class is amazing, but I kept making her shortcut pho over and over again, but always using a veggie broth because even as a meat eater, I kinda hated chicken broth. I started making a few other adjustments as I moved into a more veggie obsessed lifestyle. I love this broth so so much. When I have a horrible allergy (or caffeine withdrawal) headache, or am starting to feel sick, I make this broth, and as it simmers the whole house fills up with that lemony freshness from the coriander seeds, cardamom and cilantro, and my lungs open up from the spicy ginger and clove. Ugh, LOVE.

I've made this broth with even more basic ingredients, leaving out the cardamom and miso, I've used less ginger, I've used more. The key to this is to taste as you go, and balance out the flavors the way you like them.

I use miso instead of the traditional fish sauce because I feel it adds that umami flavor without much effort, but it's not really necessary. I don't think of miso as a "staple" in my kitchen, as in, when I run out, I don't immediately go get more. It does last a super long time in the fridge, so whenever I make a recipe that requires it, I typically have no qualms picking some up. But sometimes even when making this broth I won't have any on hand and I don't want to spend the extra 4 or 5 dollars, so I will just substitute tamari and salt, or leave out the flavor layer completely (it's still good without it). I hear a rumour that there is a prepared vegan fish sauce now, and of course you can always make your own vegan fish sauce but from what I've researched, the process is a little too intensive for someone who only uses "fish sauce" ever in this one specific recipe. Miso, on the other hand, I can throw into pretty much anything for flavor- try it in mac and cheese.

This is also one of the only recipes where I use actual granulated sugar. I have tried using agave or maple syrup and it just doesn't do the job. I am not a food chemist, but because I'm using it to cut out a slight bitterness and not actually add a sweetness, I feel that the granulated sugar works best here. I use a literal pinch. whatever sticks between my two fingers- a tiny amount I'm not sure I could even translate to liquid anyway.

For my protein, I use tofu. I think a quarter of a block is 1 serving...I don't really know that's just what I eat, and I used to pan fry it. Now I have an air fryer so I just chop up the tofu and pop it in the air fryer. You actually don't have to cook it at all before plopping it in the soup. Whatever you prefer. Of course, when I took the time to make the recipe AND take pictures, I overcooked the tofu. I usually don't get it so...uh...crispy. But actually, in the soup it was still super yummy.

Oh yes, and I use Better Than Bullion because 1. it's a staple for me, I cook a LOT with it. 2. it's salty, so I think it also helps make up for the absence of fish sauce. Fish sauce is a complex flavor but it also adds saltiness. By all means, try using a different veggie broth or your own broth or a different bullion. Please note that Better than Bullion cites 1 tsp soup base per 8 ounces (1 cup) of water. I used 1 tsp of soup base to 2 cups water.

Like the title says, this is pho inspired. You definitely won't get the broth crystal clear like the greatest pho broths out there, but it will be packed full of flavor.

Broth

6 cups water

3 tsps Better than Bullion Vegetable base

2 green onions

1 inch ginger

3 or 4 small sprigs of cilantro

1 1/2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds

2 whole cloves

1 cardamom pod

1/4 tsp- 1 tsp miso (depending on your preference)

white sugar

Stuff to add to broth

Some kind of noodle- it doesn't have to specifically be a pho noodle. I have used ramen noodles, pad thai noodles, generic rice noodles. Whatever you like or have on hand.

1/2 block of tofu

1 serrano chili

thai basil

1-2 limes

bean sprouts

Directions:

1. Cut green onions into thirds. Cut up the green tops for garnish, set aside. With flat side of knife, crush the bottom portion of the green onions to release aroma.

2. Thinly slice ginger. Also smash with flat side of knife to release super amazing ginger aroma.

3. You don't have to cut up or smash the cilantro, but you definitely can crush it if it makes you feel good.

4. In a large pot on medium heat, toast coriander, clove and cardamom seeds (cut cardamom open and scrape seeds out) until it's fragrant, about one or two minutes. Put your face over the pot and take a giant whiff. This is like one of the most important steps- aromatherapy, am I right?? Remove pot from heat for a couple minutes.

5. To the slightly cooled pot, add water, soup base, cilantro, green onion and ginger. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes.

6. This is a great time to prep your noodles according to the packaging. Also a great time to prep whatever you want to go IN your soup. Slice up those peppers, chop the cilantro and basil. Prep your protein.

7. Taste broth at 15 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon of white miso to a small bowl and add a few spoonfuls of broth. Stir into a paste, removing all clumps of miso. Add paste to pot. This just helps the miso stir in better- I have trouble getting it to meld nicely by just throwing it directly in the pot. But maybe you don't. I don't know.

8. Enjoy the fact that your house (well, my small house, maybe just your kitchen) smells flipping amazing. And then, taste the broth. (do I have to remind you that you gotta wait a minute after you spoon it out of the pot, or you're going to burn your tongue and nothing is going to taste right) Add more miso if you want something more savory.

9. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

10. At this point, there may be a sort of bitterness happening, don't be scared. It's not ruined. It's just a lot of flavors fighting for face. A little tiny bit of sugar helps round it out. Start with a PINCH of sugar, let it go for a minute, taste again. Add another pinch if you feel it needs more but you probably won't need it. I'd say, definitely don't go over 1/4 tsp of sugar.

11. Now we strain the broth. You can strain it a variety of ways, one being cheesecloth. Using cheesecloth, or muslin, may help you get a clearer broth, but that's just a step I don't have time for. I PUT A LARGE BOWL IN THE SINK, then put my fine mesh strainer in that large bowl, and then dump the broth in the strainer/bowl. If you do strain using a mesh strainer, for the love of god, don't forget to PUT A LARGE BOWL in the sink and THEN the strainer. Or else you'll dump the broth down the drain and just have boiled green onions.

12. Serve it up! This recipes yields approximately 2 servings, depending on how long you simmer it. I guess you can get more smaller servings but who wants a small serving of pho? You want like at least 2 cups broth in that bowl, right? Then add some noodles (however much you want, or the box serving indicates). Toss in garnishes! I like to squeeze a quarter of a lime in mine. And then just stick the bowl under your nose for a minute and breathe in deep. Contemplate how great life can be. Then, suck that broth down like your life depends on it. Or you know, however you choose to eat it.

One last thing, I like a stronger flavor. You can easily cut back on the clove and coriander and cut out the cardamom completely. If it's still too strong once you've started tasting, just add more water. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.