Vegetarian Pho

Pho is one of the signature dishes of Vietnam and is becoming increasingly popular around the world. Traditionally made with beef and beef stock, this comfort food is a favorite all year round. While typical Pho is not vegetarian-friendly, this recipe will delight vegetarians and carnivores alike.

Ingredients:

2 blocks of extra firm tofu

8 fake beef bullion cubes

2 mushroom bullion cubes

2 large onions

3 green onions

2 packages sliced portabella mushrooms

4 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 Tbsp butter

4 carrots, chopped

1 bag prepped fresh green beans

1.5 ounces star anise pods

1 large cinnamon stick

6 whole cloves

3 Tbsp diced garlic

2 thumb-sized pieces of fresh ginger

2 pieces dried orange peel

1 gallon plus 2 cups of water

1 package rice noodles or noodles of your choosing

Fresh ground black pepper

Toppings and condiments:

Fresh whole limes cut into quarters

Fresh basil

Fresh cilantro

Bean sprouts

Jalapeno peppers cut into rings

Hoisin sauce

Sriracha sauce

Drain the extra firm tofu for an hour, then slice and squeeze water out of each slice individually by placing it between two paper towels and pressing gently. At the same time, put water into a large pot with a cheese cloth sachet filled with the anise pods, cinnamon, orange peels, cloves, and ginger. Add fake beef and mushroom bullion cubes, chopped green onions, 2 Tbsp garlic, and one of the chopped regular onions, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add the butter, cover, and simmer for an hour. Add carrots, green beans, and ground black pepper and continue simmering until veggies are tender. Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan and season the sliced tofu with a little bit of salt and pepper. Fry the tofu over medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides. Remove from pan. Slice the second regular onion very very thin, and fry until brown, then remove from pan and fry the sliced portabella mushrooms. Add a little salt and pepper to the mushrooms and onions whlie frying. Add the rest of the garlic to the mushrooms towards the end of frying and return the tofu and onions to the pan. Stir this mixture and reduce heat to keep warm until the broth is ready. Boil the noodles separately according to package directions and drain. Remove the spice sachet from the broth.

To serve:

Place a scoop of noodles into a large bowl and ladle the broth and veggies over the noodles, then place a spoonful of the tofu/onion/mushroom mixture on top. Add the cilantro, basil, hot peppers, bean sprouts, hoisin, and sriracha sauce to taste and squeeze a bunch of lime in a the end and stir it up. Serve and enjoy!

Preparation and cooking time: two hours

Serves: eight

Leave a Reply