Edible Vancouver Island September/October 2023

FEATURE RECIPE

Veggie Pho

This simple, hearty and heart-warming soup is the perfect antidote to a rainy day. Traditionally made with chicken or beef-based broth, and served with strips of beef added, this vegetarian version uses ample spices, mushrooms and a variety of your favourite mix-ins and toppings, allowing it to become a simple “let’s use up what’s in the fridge” meal. A few tricks: Broil or char your onion and ginger before adding to the broth; this adds complexity to the stock and a natural sweetness. You can skip this step, but your broth won’t quite be the same. Toast your spices before adding to the broth. This allows the aromatics to be released to absorb in the stock readily. Par-cook your rice noodles first before adding to the broth. If you cook the noodles in the broth, it will go murky from the starch.

INGREDIENTS

Broth 1 white onion, peeled and sliced in half 2–3 inch knob of fresh ginger 1 Tbsp fennel seed 2 tsp coriander seed 2 tsp cardamom seeds/4-6 cardamom pods 2 tsp black peppercorns 4–6 whole cloves 3–4 whole star anise 2 cinnamon sticks 2 garlic cloves 1 stalk lemongrass 6 cups vegetable stock Pho 1 cup mushrooms (Shitake, Portobello, are my favourite here) 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 cups rice noodles

1-2 cups chopped mixed raw vegetables–bok choy, kale, spinach, broccoli, edamame, asparagus, snap peas, etc. garnish–bean sprouts, lime wedges, basil, mint, cilantro, hoisin sauce, green onions, sliced jalapeno

46 SEP/OCT 2023 EDIBLE VANCOUVER ISLAND