Vegetarian Pho

 

 

I have been thinking of a way to make a vegetarian version of the Vietnamese staple soup Pho. The secret of any good Pho is the broth which is usually cooked 4 to 5 hours and left overnight for the flavors to develop. The clear broth is made with beef bones like marrow bones, knuckles or oxtail and a mix of sweet fragrant spices like cinnamon, star anise and fennel. Doing my research I found recipes that have common elements like the charred onions and ginger, the spices seemed to be the same with an addition of one or two in some of them. I have to come up with my own…….

I have been using mushrooms in soup stocks and sauces for a long time; sometimes using red wine or different herbs to capture the richness of meat. This time was not going to be different .I used dried shiitake mushrooms which have a concentrated earthy flavor that lends a deeper accent to the broth. I put my own signature by using my universal spice threesome; all spice, black pepper and ground cinnamon in addition to the recommended spices plus garlic and lime peel. Roasting the onions and the garlic makes it sweeter and enhances the overall flavor of the broth.

I was really surprised by how deep and rich the broth was; I did not miss the meat and bone flavor at all.

When you strain the broth you can fish out the mushroom, slice it and add it to your soup.

 

Recipe-Vegetarian Pho with Vegetables 

Serves: 4 to 6

Broth

5 Liters/ 20 cups of water

1 oz. washed dried shiitake mushrooms

1 large yellow onion, skin on and cut in half

2 carrots cut into 4 pieces

2 celery stalks cut into 4 pieces

5 whole garlic cloves, skin on

3 “ fresh ginger

3 scallions cut into 4 pieces

5 bay leaves

1 tsp fennel seeds

8 star anise

15 black pepper corns

10 allspice corns

8 whole cloves

1 tsp. powdered cinnamon

½ tsp. powdered allspice

2 tbs. Bragg’s amino

Kosher salt to taste

Directions:

Put water in heavy bottom pan and add to it mushroom, cook on medium high heat. In the mean time broil onion and garlic in a pan in a 400 degree oven. Stick ginger on a metal skewer and roast it on an open flame turning it around until charred. Cool ginger down, peel and chop and add to pot. Place star anise, black pepper corns, allspice corns, and cinnamon stick in a small skillet and toast over medium heat until fragrant. Take spices off heat; add bay leaves and fennel seeds. Put all spices in a piece of cheesecloth, tie cloth with twine and add to pot. When onions are charred and caramelized, peel skin off cut into pieces and add to pot. Cover pot and simmer broth over low medium heat for about an hour or until liquid is concentrated into about 8 cups. Add Bragg’s, powdered cinnamon, powdered allspice and salt to taste. Strain broth; remove mushrooms and discard of rest of vegetables and spices. Slice mushroom and save for soup. Put broth back in pot.

Soup

4 carrots, peeled and sliced thin

1 broccoli florets cut into bite size pieces

4 celery stalks, cut into 1” pieces

4 baby bock choy, chopped

1 package thin rice sticks, Maifun

Baked tofu (optional)-Recipe below

Steam vegetables until tender crisp; about 10 minutes or until tender crisp. Shock vegetables in cold water then strain. In a pot bring 8 cups of water to a boil, cook rice sticks for about 5 minutes or until tender. Strain noodles and plunge in cold water to stop cooking. Strain noodles and set aside

Condiments and Garnishes

1 Lb. bean sprouts

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 white onion, sliced very thin

1 scallion, chopped

4 Thai basil sprigs

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced (optional)

2 limes cut into eighths

Hoisin Sauce

Chili Garlic Sauce

Soup Assemblage:

Bring broth to a boil, put a serving of noodles in a bowl, add vegetables and tofu then top with broth. Garnish with sliced onions and cilantro. Serve with bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime wedges, jalapeno, Hoisin sauce and chili sauce.

Comfort Lentil Soup

Sunset from my parents house in Lebanon

I haven’t been feeling well; I had oral surgery earlier this week and still recovering. My beloved husband Brian cooked a couple of comfort soups from his childhood; Split Pea Soup with ham hock (which is something that I did not know what it was until I married him) and Clam Chowder. Both were very tasty even when they were blended. He made quite an effort, and I was really appreciative, after all he hasn’t been cooking much lately because he is not inspired!!! Yesterday was day four of my surgery and I was l feeling yucky and still needed soft food. I was craving my Mom’s lentil soup which she used to make for me and my siblings when we used to get sick with the flu or other winter ailments. It is supposed to make you sweat and it does. So, I made it with a short cut, dumping all the ingredients minus the spices all at the same time, used an immersion blender to cream it instead of a hand mill, added the spices and finished it with olive oil and voila…..My comfort soup was ready……And I went back to Lebanon…..

The following recipe is following the progressive steps, but if in a hurry, or not feeling well then choosing the shorter route will still give you a good soup.
Serve the soup with toasted pita chips, a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. You can also embellish it by topping it with toasted pumpkin seeds, a crumble of feta cheese, grated parmesan, chopped cilantro or mint…..Use your imagination……
Recipe:
Serves 4-6
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 tbs. Olive oil + extra to drizzle
1 ½ cups lentil, picked and rinsed
½ cup short grain rice white or brown (you need more water and more cooking time if using brown rice
1-1 ½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. allspice
¼ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. black pepper
Salt to taste
6-8 cups water
Note: You need more water and more cooking time if using brown rice.


In a big pot, sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat until translucent. Add spices and salt until fragrant. Add lentil and 4 cups of water until lentil is tender. You may have to add a bit of water at a time keeping your lentils covered with water at all times. Using your immersion or regular blender until smooth, add rice rest of water until rice is cooked and tender. You may add less or more or less water according to consistency of your preference. Adjust salt and spices to taste. Serve with your condiments of choice….Sahtain…..