Spring Vegetable Pho

VIETNAM

Something about the spice-scented broth, slippery noodles and crisp-smelling herbs distinguishes pho easily from other noodle bowls. Traditionally, beef or chicken bones are simmered for many hours to extract their flavours for the broth. When I don’t really feel like having the stove on for half a day, because of either lack of time or the weather, I go for a vegetable-based stock. The combination of charred onions and ginger, spices and naturally sweet vegetables like carrots, daikon and leek ensures that the broth still packs a punch.

Serves 4

• 1 medium onion
• a 2.5cm piece of ginger
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts only
• 1 large carrot
• 1 small mooli/daikon radish
• 2 stalks of lemongrass, bashed
• 4 star anise
• 2 cloves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• a 2.5cm stick of cassia bark
• 2 teaspoons groundnut oil
• 3 litres water
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste
• unrefined light brown sugar, to taste

To serve

• 200g dried flat rice noodles (3mm wide)
• 1 bundle of asparagus
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• fresh herbs, e.g. mint, coriander and Vietnamese mint
• bird’s-eye chillies, sliced

1. Peel the onion and cut into quarters. Scorch the onion and ginger by holding the pieces above a flame with tongs, or in a dry frying pan if using an electric stove. Turn the pieces until they are blackened in places all over. Slice the ginger thinly.
2. Wash and slice the leek, carrot and daikon radish. Julienne a small portion of the carrot and daikon, setting them aside for garnish later. Pop the lemongrass and spices into a cheesecloth spice pouch if you can, so that you don’t have to fish them out later.
3. Place a large pot on a medium heat. Fry the leeks in the oil until browned, then pour in the water, along with the scorched onion and ginger, carrot, radish and spice pouch. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, pour boiling water over the dried rice noodles, cover and let stand for 20 minutes or until cooked and softened. Drain and loosen. Steam or blanch the asparagus until bright green and crisp-tender.
5. Season the broth to taste with fish sauce and sugar. Be sparing with the sugar; it is only there to round out the flavours, and you might not need much, depending on how sweet your vegetables are.
6. To serve, divide the rice noodles between bowls, then pour the hot vegetable broth over, along with the cooked vegetables. Top with the asparagus. The final step is for your guests to complete: squeeze some lime over, tear in your favoured herbs and garnishes, stir in as much chilli as you dare, and slurp away.

Note: If you want to keep this wholly vegetarian, use soy sauce instead of fish sauce.