When I was testing my vegan phô broth for a Recipes for Health series last spring I froze a few containers of the broth; I had forgotten how good it is. I didn’t have some of the traditional ingredients for phô – bean sprouts, cilantro, scallions, green chiles – so I used what I had and it was definitely phô. I used cayenne for heat and a chiffonade of romaine lettuce was a good stand-in for the bean sprouts, crunchy and fresh. Lots of chives stood in for scallions. I did without cilantro or Thai basil but had plenty of Italian basil and mint from my garden.
Ingredients
- 1 recipe phô broth (about 2 1/2 quarts)
- ¾ pound rice noodles, preferably wide ones
- 2 medium or 1 large carrot (about 5 ounces) peeled and cut in 1 1/2-inch julienne
- 2 cups edamame (can use frozen, thawed)
- 6 ounces tofu, cut in matchsticks
- ½ cup Asian or purple basil leaves, or Italian basil, slivered
- 4 scallions, chopped, or 1/4 cup chopped chives
- 1 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
- Several sprigs fresh mint
- 2 cups bean sprouts (mung are traditional) or slivered romaine leaves (chiffonade)
- 2 to 4 bird or serrano chiles, finely chopped (to taste) or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (more or less to taste)
- 2 to 3 limes, cut in wedges
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
298 calories; 3 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 55 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 188 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
6 servings
Preparation
- Have the broth at a simmer in a soup pot. Season to taste with cayenne if you are not using fresh chiles.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles. Cook until just al dente, firm to the bite, following the timing instructions on the package (my wide noodles take about 5 minutes). Drain and divide among 6 large soup bowls.
- Add the carrots and edamame to the simmering broth and simmer until just tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Ladle a generous amount of hot broth with the carrots and edamame into the bowls. Divide the tofu among the bowls. Sprinkle on half the cilantro, half the basil leaves and the scallions or chives. Pass the bean sprouts or lettuce, chopped chiles if using, the remaining basil and cilantro (if using), mint sprigs, and the lime wedges. Serve with chopsticks for the noodles and soupspoons for the broth.
- Advance preparation: The broth will keep for a few days in the refrigerator and can be frozen. The noodles can be cooked several hours ahead. Rinse them after draining and keep in a bowl. They will stick together after they cool but will loosen up when yo
About 20 minutes
Dining and Cooking