Minh's Pho Ga

Pho can be intimidating but it doesn’t have to be! Props to those with the patience and energy to do it the old school way, with the simmering and skimming for hours, but also props to those who are down for shortcuts. The Instant Pot is perfect for this and it’s very hard to mess up. Because chicken pho is meant to be lighter than it’s beef counterpart, you don’t need all of these spices but we like the depth the spices bring so we kept them! This recipe is great for when you’re feeling sick, or even when you’re not - we like it best after a night of drinking :)

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4 - 6

Broth

• 1 whole chicken

• 2 medium sized yellow onions halved

• 4” knob of ginger, skin on and cut into large strips

• 1tbs of coriander seeds

• 1 black or green cardamom pod

• 1tsp of fennel seeds

• 10 black peppercorns

• 5 cloves

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 3 star anise pods

• 6-8 tbs of fish sauce, to taste

• 1.5 inch chunk of rock sugar, or 1tbs of granulated sugar

• 1tsp of salt

Noodles and Garnish

• 1 onion sliced paper thin

• 3 stalks of green onion sliced into thin rings

• Cup of cilantro, roughly chopped

• Lime wedges

• Thai basil

• Thai chilli

• Bean sprouts

• 1 (450g, serves 4) bag of Vermicelli rice noodles (banh pho) soaked in water for 20-30 minutes until opaque

• Hoisin and Sriracha sauce

METHOD

Broth

• In a large mixing bowl, cover the chicken with salt and massage to exfoliate and clean the chicken. Rinse with cold water and set aside.

• Roast halved onions and ginger over an open flame or in an oven. Once cooled, rinse with cold water removing any excess char.

• Toast coriander seeds, cardamom, fennel, black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick and star anise in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Transfer to spice bag if available.

• Place the chicken into the instant pot and add 8 cups of water.

• Add roasted onions, ginger, toasted spices, rock sugar, fish sauce and salt to the pot and pressure cook for 30 minutes.

• Carefully remove chicken and shred/cut chicken into large strips and set aside.

• Strain cooked broth through a cheesecloth or colander and maintain a low boil in a stock pot.

Assembling the bowls

• Blanche the vermicelli in a small pot of boiling water and place in a large soup bowl. Add a generous amount of broth.

• Top bowls with sliced chicken, onions, green onions, cilantro and black pepper.

• Serve with a side plate of washed bean sprouts, thai basil, lime wedges and thai chilies.

• Hoison and Sriracha sauce to dippy dip!