One of my favorites soups. It's a famous Vietnamese noodle soup that I modified to suit vegetarians.
Ingredients:
Soup
3 Star Anise
3 Co-op Cinnamon Sticks
6 Whole Cloves
1 small ginger (cut in half)
1 Large onion or 3 Shallots (cut in half)
Mushrooms (any kind, sliced)
1 Block of Tofu (sliced)
1 vegetable bouillon cube (Can be substituted with 5 spice powder)
1 lime cut into wedges (for serving)
2-3 Carrots
1 Turnip
1 Apple
1 pear
1-2 leek stalks (finely chopped)
1/2 head broccoli (cut into florets)
1 Whole Chinese Cabbage (Bok Choy)
Hoisin Sauce
Garnishes
Green Onions
Fresh Basil
Fresh CIlantro
Bean Sprouts
Optionals
Chili sauce
Sriracha sauce
Bean Curd Sticks
8 ounces seitan - can be added as a topping and cooked like tofu
Directions:
The Soup Stock/Broth
1-In a large pot or pan, boil 3-5 cups of water and bring to a boil under low-medium heat.
2-While the water is being brought to boil, roast the onion, shallots and ginger until dark grill marks appear. Simply put, char them a little. It takes about 5-7 minutes. You can use a mini toaster, an oven or a grill press.
3-Prepare the fruits and vegetables:
Cut the apple and pear in half and remove the core. Cut each piece in half and set aside
Quarter the turnip
Peel the carrots and cut into 1 inch pieces
4-Using a disposable tea bag, put the cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cloves inside and drop it into the boiling water. Add the onions, shallots, ginger, fruits and vegetables into the pot.
5-Change the heat setting to medium-low. Add the vegetable bouillon cube and let it simmer for 30-35 minutes.
6-While it is simmering, you can add salt or soy sauce to taste. You can add the bok choy once the soup is cooked (blanch) since it cooks easily. This is to keep it fresh and crisp.
Toppings
1-Put a small amount of cooking oil in a skillet and add half of the chopped leeks and fry until they are golden brown or fragrant.
2-Add the sliced mushrooms and 1/2 head of broccolli then season with a little salt and pepper. Pour 1/4 cup of soup stock for flavor and set it aside.
3-If the oil is not enough, add a little more then put in the rest of the chopped leeks then add the tofu slices and fry until golden brown and set aside.
Noodles
1-Once the soup and toppings are ready, you’re now ready to cook the noodles.
2-Wash the rice noodles and immerse it in boiling water for about 5-10 minutes or until ready.
3-Using a strainer or colander, drain the water and you’re now ready to eat.
Putting Everything Together
1-Place the desired amount of noodles you would like and add your desired amount of toppings - tofu, mushrooms, bok choy, etc.
2-Pour the soup stock over and sprinkle with garnishes - basil, green onions, bean sprouts or other herbs like cilantro or mint leaves
3-Add hoisin sauce then squeeze some lemon over the soup.
4-Serve and enjoy!
Original post for walkthrough videos how to make 2 vegan versions of pho noodle soup recipe:
https://www.desiredcuisine.com/the-famous-vegetarian-pho-noodle-soup-recipe/
