Vietnam / Soup
Phở Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)
Pho ga is a Vietnamese chicken noodle soup dish. It is considered one of the culinary gems of Vietnamese cuisine, available within a mile radius of almost every person in the community of Little Saigon, a Vietnamese enclave located in Orange County, California. Although the flavors are complex, the technique is simple, and the result is delectable.
Ingredients
- fennel seeds1 tsp
- peppercorns1 tsp
- star anise, whole3 piece
- cardamom, dried1–2 pod
- cinnamon stick1/2 stick
- cloves, whole3 piece
- chicken, small to medium; whole1 bird
- chicken stock12 cup
- ginger, fresh; whole slices3–4 slice
- onion, medium brown onion; whole; peeled1 piece
- salt, or more, to taste1 tbsp
- fish sauce, to taste
- rice noodles, pho noodles, also called bánh phở or rice sticks
- coriander and scallions, chopped
- basil leaves, a few; fresh; torn
- bean sprouts, fresh
- onion, brown or white; thinly sliced; several pieces per serving
- hoisin sauce, 1 tsp per serving, or to taste
- lime, squeeze into broth before eating
- chilli, jalapeños, serranos, or other varieties
- sriracha, or similar chilli sauce
- fish sauce, additional
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 5 steps
Combine ingredients for seasoning pouch in a small strainer or a pouch made from cheesecloth and twine.
In a large stock pot, boil soup ingredients together with seasoning pouch until the chicken is thoroughly cooked
Remove the chicken and strain broth back into the pot for additional simmering. Once the chicken is cool, pull apart the meat into bite sized pieces and discard bones.
In a separate pot, boil the pho noodles in sufficient water. Stop when they're no longer chewy (basically the way you'd boil spaghetti). Make sure you don't overdo it or the noodles will fall apart and you'll end up with porridge. When done, pour the noodles into a colander and rinse them with lukewarm water. Then, leave them to drain.
Once the noodles have drained, add them to a bowl. Combine the chicken, serving ingredients, and enough broth to cover the noodles.
