Vegan Pho
The Vietnamese noodle dish that has captured the hearts of food lovers and hung-over college students in vegan format.
Ingredients
- 20 dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated
- 4 medium white onions trimmed, peeled, and halved cross-wise
- 1 large daikon radish peeled and cut into 1 inch thick circles
- 1 6 inch ginger peeled and sliced
- 1 tbsp oil
- 3 cups oyster mushroom sliced into 2 inch pieces
- 12 cups water
- salt to taste
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tspn clove
- 5 cardomom pods
- 5 star anises
- 1 tspn coriander seeds
- 1 tspn fennel seeds
- 14 oz soft tofu
- rice stick noodles cooked
- red onion sliced
- 1 cup bean sprout
- 1 chili pepper thinly sliced
- lime wedge
- fresh cilantro or culantro leaves
Instructions
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Add the dried shiitake mushrooms to a medium bowl and pour in enough water to cover. Cover with a dish towel and let hydrate for 8 hours, then rinse and drain the mushrooms 2-3 times. Set aside.
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In a large pan over medium heat, dry sear the onions until caramelized on both sides, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the daikon radish and ginger. Set aside.
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Heat the oil in the pan. Add the oyster mushrooms and sauté until browned and caramelized, 6-8 minutes.
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Add the caramelized onions, daikon, ginger, oyster mushrooms, and soaked shiitake mushrooms to a large stock pot. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low heat and cover. Simmer for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours. The longer it cooks, the stronger the flavor of the broth will be. Season with salt to taste.
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About 30 minutes before serving, combine the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, star anise, coriander, and fennel in a fine-mesh sieve. Lower into the pot, resting the sieve on the edge, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
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Remove the spices and add the tofu to heat through, 10-15 minutes.
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Remove the pot from the heat. Remove the onions, daikon, and ginger from the pot. (Slice and add them back to the soup, if desired.)
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Add the noodles to serving bowls and ladle in the broth, mushrooms, and tofu.
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Garnish with red onion, bean sprouts, chili peppers, a squeeze of lime, and cilantro.