
New Year Vietnamese Pho with Crispy Shallots
This recipe evokes special memories for me and I wanted to share a New Year story with you all as we go into 2021! A few years ago on my trip to Vietnam, I was sitting in a little streetside cafe being blown away by a flavorful broth with super fresh vegetables. “How do you make this?!” I asked aloud. It was so different, so exotic and again, simply fresh!
I was determined to learn how to make such an incredible dish myself and I took quite a few all-day cooking classes while in Ho Chi Min City. Since then, I have been practicing my Pho technique and adapting what I include in my own recipe that fits my food goals. So no MSG, no fillers, just pure fresh ingredients including spice blends.
After years of making this delicious and comforting soup, my personalized recipe came together. The spices are key. This isn’t a normal stock. Typically, it requires star anise pods and various loose spices, which somehow are never easily found. Luckily, our Spice Spice Baby spice blend has us covered. In this spice blend you have all the necessary ingredients like anise powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves.
This New Year’s Eve dinner, I made a roasted whole duck. It’s tasty and an indulgence (a step up from chicken and a little more sophisticated than turkey). I saved the carcass, much as you would your thanksgiving turkey, and made this soup. You can also use a chicken carcass if you buy a rotisserie chicken or roast one at home. Vegetable stock also works for this recipe, just add additional veggies to pre-made stock and follow the recipe below. This makes a great Sunday dinner recipe when you can take your time during the day to start the stock and have it ready for dinner.
Leaving you all with a fun fact, Pho is pronounced “fuh.” Ha! That was a major takeaway from my visit along with this wonderful broth. Enjoy and Happy New Year!
XOXO, Sam
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings
For the Broth
For the crispy shallots
Start the Pho
Make the Crispy Shallots
Put the Soup Together