This recipe is from the cookbook Bowl by Lukas Volger
6 cups shortcut pho broth (see below)
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 onion, diced or one bunch scallions, sliced on the diagonal
5 plump garlic cloves, sliced into thin slabs
1 tablespoon neutral-tasting oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
½ lb cooking greens: spinach, kale, chard, bok choi etc.
1 cup peas, shelled or with pods
½ lb medium-width rice noodles
1 small green chili (Serrano, jalapeno or Thai), sliced into very thin rings
1 bunch fresh parsley, cilantro, or a combination, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
- Place broth in a pot and heat to a simmer. Stir in the salt and sugar. Keep warm until serving.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions/scallions and garlic. Cook until beginning to brown, 10-15 minutes. Pour in vinegar and scrape and stir the skillet to mix in the brown bits. Remove from heat.
- Bring a saucepan of salted water to boil. Add greens and cook briefly, until bright green and wilted. Remove to a plate with a spider skimmer. Add peas and blanch briefly in hot water. Transfer to a plate with a spider skimmer.
- Add noodles to the boiling water in a steamer basket so they’re easy to remove. Cook until tender, 4-7 minutes. Divide noodles into four bowls.
- Top noodles in each bowl with greens, peas, browned onions and chili slices. Ladle hot broth over each serving. Serve immediately, passing herbs and lime wedges at the table.
Shortcut Pho Broth
1oz fresh ginger
2 quarts vegetable broth or water
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 whole star anise
2 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 stalk fresh lemongrass, smashed and coarsely chopped
Small handful of fresh cilantro stems
- Turn a gas burner on high. Using heat-safe tongs, hold ginger over flame and turn it as needed until charred all over. This will take 5-7 minutes. Alternatively, if you don’t have a gas range, blacken ginger in the over broiler.
- In a saucepan, combine broth/water with blackened ginger, garlic, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, and lemongrass. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook for 25-35 minutes. Add cilantro stems and simmer another 5 minutes.
- Strain broth through a cheesecloth-lined sieve: gather up ends of cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Once completely cooked, pack broth in containers and store in the fridge for up to 1 day or in the freezer for up to 2 months for later use.