
Vietnamese Pho Chicken Soup
To make this you will need 1 large pot & 1 muslin bag (for spices).
1 whole chicken
1 1/2 Tbs Salt
2 brown onions
generous handful of Vietnamese mint (or coriander if you don't have this) & plain mint - add basil too if you have it.
In a muslin bag put:
1 Tbs Coriander Seed
3 Star Anise
4 Cardamom Pods
4 Whole Cloves
1 thumb of ginger (sliced)
1 cinnamon stick
optional extras:
2 Tbs fish sauce
2 Tbs sugar
Rice noodles
1 chilli - chopped
2 limes (to squeeze on when its in your bowl)
finely shredded carrot
Mung Bean Sprouts
Roast a chicken - set half aside for a different meal and keep half the chicken for the Pho
In a large pot simmer the chicken, onion & salt for 1/2 - 1 hour.In the last 10 minutes of cooking place a the muslin bag into the pot - remember to put the loop of the bag around the pot handle.
Take the chicken out of the pot, remove the chicken meat and return to the soup.
This recipe is really delicious, however, you can add the extras that I've noted in the ingredients above for a more complex and fresh taste.
I like to add my vegetables to my Pho at the last minute so they are still crunchy and filled with life.
The noodles I would pre-cook in some of the broth for 2-3 minutes and then add to my bowl as needed.