For my fiance who is a vegetarian, I modified a classic Hmong recipe to create this Asian pho dish. The broth is extremely simple, but each person adds their own seasonings and garnishes to suit their preferences. This dish can be seasoned and garnished in any way. Feel free to add your own spin and to be imaginative. Use red pepper paste, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and sesame oil as flavoring agents.
| Prep Time: | 20 mins |
| Cook Time: | 30 mins |
| Additional Time: | 10 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr |
| Servings: | 8 |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 (32 fluid ounce) containers vegetable broth
- 6 stalks lemon grass, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegetable bouillon (such as Better Than Bouillon®)
- 5 whole star anise pods
- 1 (16 ounce) package dried thin rice noodles
- 1 (8 ounce) package bean sprouts
- 1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
- 2 limes, sliced, or as desired
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 (.75 ounce) package fresh basil
- 1 bunch green onions, sliced
- ¼ cup teriyaki sauce, or to taste
- ¼ cup soy sauce, or to taste
- ¼ cup chile paste, or to taste
- ¼ cup sesame oil, or to taste
Instructions
- Combine vegetable broth, lemon grass, vegetable bouillon, and star anise pods in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until flavors are combined, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove lemon grass and star anise with a slotted spoon and discard.
- Place rice noodles in a bowl and cover with hot water to soften, about 10 minutes. Drain and cut into shorter pieces with kitchen shears; divide noodles equally between soup bowls. Fill bowls with hot broth to cover noodles.
- Place bean sprouts, mushrooms, limes, cilantro, basil, and green onions into separate bowls. Place teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, chile paste, and sesame oil in separate bowls. Serve soup alongside garnishes and flavorings.
- You can use Thai basil if desired.
Reviews
I made this as written and will make it again. I won’t use as many star anise pods, but that’s a personal dislike for that particular flavor. I suggest adding some ginger, I added some afterwards and enjoyed the flavor even more. Thank you for the recipe.