I am pretty sure I have eaten my way through most of South East Asia! Green curry in Thailand, lap laos in Laos, gado gado in Indonesia, roti canai in Malaysia and springs rolls in Vietnam. I absolutey live off the street vendor food when I am traveling. I don't give two shits about the 'germs' that are apparently wafting around... I bet that they are cleaner than your local curry house! Anyhow that's what your body builds up antibodies for. To watch your food be cooked right in front of you, with fresh and simple ingredients in just a matter of minutes is totally captivating (in my opinion).
Yesterday I was having a soup moment... an Asian-style soup moment. I have made endless Laksa's recently so wanted something a bit different... Lightbulb! Pho! I love Pho. (it's pho good). Thank-you Vietnam, you rock my world.
Traditional recipes called for some serious broth-brewing with weird things like marrow and knuckles! I mean, I love using real ingredients and making dishes from scratch... But. just. ew. So I simplyfied things, and result, freaking YUM! I was totally transported back to the bustling streets of Saigon just by the smell of it.
Ingredients for the stock: (serves 2)
- 1 litre of good quality beef stock
- 1 onion
- 1 cinnamon stick
- a tsp fennel seeds
- 5 cloves
- 5 star anisie
- 4 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger
The other yum ingredients:
- 400grm sirloin or rump steak (sliced thinly across the grain)
- noodles of your choice (udon or rice are good contenders. I used random japanese ones I had in the cupboard)
- a few handfulls of veges (mange tout or bok choy work)
Garnishing by the handfull for the table:
- beansprouts
- fresh basil, corriander & mint
- chillies (finely sliced - NOT by the handfull!)
- lime wedges
Method:
- Add a few Tbsp of olive oil into a large pot, brown onions then throw all stock ingredients in, bring to the boil and simmer for about 20mins until it smells amazing!
- Strain all the bits out, then pour the strained stock back into your large pot
- Bring back to the boil
- Add your vege, then your noodles & boil for 2mins
- Turn heat off and pour your soup into deep bowls, add the finely sliced beef (which will cook perfectly med/rare just by sitting in the soup!)
- Bring to the table where you dress it up to your liking with all the fresh goodness! (ie. erbs, lime juice and beansprouts)
It's so easy even your boyfriend can make it - pho sho! Shani x
FYI Photos are taken during my wanderings in South East Asia in 2010...