Thursday, October 2, 2014

Quick Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)

Yum


Photo 2011
I find comfort in a bowl of chicken noodle soup on a cold, rainy day. This Vietnamese Pho soup was just calling my name today.  I looked around and found Pho soups recipes to be a long drawn out process.  I just wanted my soup so I came up with a pretty easy version.

The accompaniments to the soup are very important.  This will further flavor your soup to your desired taste.  I have included:  Fresh Thai Basil, Fresh Mint leaves, Thai bird chilies thinly sliced and marinated in fish sauce, lemon or lime, Sambal Oelek Sauce - Fresh Ground Chili Paste, Bean Thread Noodles, Green onions sliced.     Each person gets to customize their own soup and it becomes an interactive experience.   It is filling, nutritious, flavorful and interactive.  My whole family (even my kids) loved it. 





    


Quick Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)

by Curry and Comfort
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 60
Serves: (6-8)
Ingredients
    For the stock you will need:
    • 3-4 large chicken breast (skin off, with bone)
    • 4 cups prepared chicken broth (or chicken bullion powder)
    • 6 cups of water
    • 1/3 cup fish sauce
    • half lemon cut into two
    • 1 inch stick of cinnamon
    • 2 inches of ginger (cut in large pieces and smashed a few times)
    • 4-6 cloves of garlic cut into large pieces
    • 1 serrano chili slit down the middle
    • 1 medium onion (rough chop)
    • 1 stalk of leeks cut into large pieces
    • 1 stalk of lemon grass (use only the bottom inner part) cut and smashed a few times.
    Garnishes:
    • Basil leaves
    • Mint leaves
    • Thai chilies sliced
    • fish sauce
    • lime wedges
    • sambal oelek
    • sliced green onion
    • baby spinach leaves
    • bean thread noodles cooked
    • bean sprouts
    • sriracha sauce
    • soy sauce
    Instructions
    1. Place the chicken breast on the bone in a large soup pot with all the other stock ingredients. Bring to a boil then simmer on medium high heat for 1 hour.
    2. Once the soup is ready. Turn it off and fish out the chicken breast. Shred as much chicken as you want in the soup.
    3. Use a strainer to collect all ingredients that flavored the stock. These can be discarded now.
    4. Next prepare the Bean Thread noodles by boiling some water and placing the dried noodles in the boiled water. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes until softened. Drain and set aside to add into the soup one bowl at a time.
    5. Add the chicken back into the strained stock. Then customize each bowl of Pho soup with your garnishes to taste. Enjoy.
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    Step by Step Directions:
    <------ Stock ingredients 
    and 
    Garnishes  --------->           
    Place the chicken breast on the bone in a large soup pot with all the other stock ingredients.  Simmer on medium high heat for 1 hour.  



    Once the soup is ready. Turn it off and fish out the chicken breast.  Shred as much chicken as you want in the soup.



    Use a strainer to collect all ingredients that flavored the stock.  These can be discarded now.

    Next prepare the Bean Thread noodles by boiling some water and placing the dried noodles in the boiled water.  Allow it to sit for 20 minutes until softened.  Drain and set aside to add into the soup one bowl at a time.

    Add the chicken back into the strained stock.    Then customize each bowl of Pho soup with your garnishes to taste.  Enjoy.






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