Vietnamese Phở in a Spicy Lemongrass Broth

When you start boiling the broth the aroma is a little intense with all the pungent ingredients, so don't forget to turn on the fume hood, or prepare to cough a little from time to time :) But don't worry, when the pho is finished it will be spicy, but milder with the lime and other ingredients added.

This recipe is a nobrainer, but as Alain Ducasse once said, talent is just 5% of great cooking, 35% being technique, and 60% the quality of the raw materials of which we have a lot today.

Serves 2

⏱ 60 minutes

• 2 dried red chilies
• 2" ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 T black peppercorns
• 3 lemongrass stalks
• 1 lime
• 1 T miso
• Handful vermicelli rice noodles
• Handful basil
• Handful cilantro
• Handful shiitake mushrooms
• Handful edamame
• Handful bean sprouts
• Handful napa cabbage
• Handful bok choy
• Handful broccoli
• Sesame seeds (optional)
• Peanut oil (optional)
• 7 cups water

In a large pot bring the water to a boil. I like to use my cast iron wok, it is good way to add iron to your diet which is important especially for vegans as plant based non-heme iron binds so easily with other stuff.

Chopp the chilies, peel and cut the ginger roughly, peel and smash the garlic, chop an crush the lemongrass and with the peppercorns add everything into the boiling water. Let cook for half an hour and simmer for 30 more minutes.

Then take out the solids with a strainer. Raise the temperature and add the roughly chopped vegetables.

Cook for 3 minutes, add the miso and squeeze the lime over the vegetables.

Add the vermicelli rice noodles.

Stir well and let cook for another two minutes.

Pour into a bowl and top with some sesame seeds and a little peanut or sesame oil.

Bon appétit,
Miron