I have returned far too many times to list here, and each time I wonder if I could possibly love it even more on every visit. Finally though, I decided, it was time to try my own hand at making it.
Back home- I set to work on my first home creation of Pho.
1 tsp sesame seed oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1tbsp ginger, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (seeds and veins included)
zest of one lime
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 cans beef broth
1 cup barley, prepared as package describes
1/2 pound shaved steak
Garnish:
Fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Chili Garlic Paste- to taste
1 lime- sliced
Heat stock pot with sesame seed oil, then add the garlic, ginger, onion, jalapeno and zest. Add a pinch of salt here. Over medium heat sautee these ingredients until they become aromatic, and the onions and garlic translucent. Add the cilantro to the mix, and then the soy sauce. Add three cans of broth and simmer for 30 minutes -give or take. During the last two minutes of cooking add the steak.
In a bowl, add a scoop of barley, ladle the broth, with steak over the top, serve with the garnish.
This was an incredibly easy soup to make, however I made a fatal flaw. For some strange reason I lost all semblance of culinary prowess during my process here and added four wedges of lime to the simmer pot of soup, and then left them there for a half hour. Anyone know what happens when you do that? The bitter peel permeates the soup. Right. So I spent another half hour trying to dull out the bitter flavor with a variety of sweeter ingredients. Overall, this was a delicious soup, and very similar in feel and flavor to my beloved Pho. I am not, however, satisfied. More Pho adventures are in my future- stay tuned!
6 comments:
Pho Lemongrass is good, but head over to Pho Viet's in Super 88 in Allston - Their broth is OUT OF THIS WORLD amazing and way cheaper than Pho Lemongrass. Xinh Xinh is also my favorite Pho restaurant in Chinatown.
THANK YOU for the recs! I've been wanting to broaden my horizons to other good Pho- I will definitely check those places out!
Loooooooove Pho!!
Next time you are in Coolidge Corner, check out Zenna noodle bar- they have the best vegetarian tofu pho soup.
I remember the first time I ate Pho...had to be 10 years ago. I was so confused as to what to do! But it is a great dish, and I'll have to try to make it myself.
You can get Thai basil at Russo's in Watertown- and just about any other ingredient you may need for just about any ethnic dish you can think up!
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