Fee Fi Faux Pho
We encourage you to use pure, whole, organic ingredients, local when possible, and always play with your food! Honestly, you don't really need a recipe with this. You could just look at the pictures and figure it out, but for new or unsure cooks out there, this recipe is for you, babes…
Ingredients
Marinated Chicken
- 8 small or 6 medium to large boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon high mineral salt
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh garlic or 1 teaspoon dried garlic granules
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (really clean brand like Wright's Liquid Smoke (omit if you can't get anything good)
Pho-nominal Broth
- 6 cups bone broth
- High mineral sea salt to taste depends on how salty your broth already is
- 3-4 star anise pods
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick about 2 – 3 inches long
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder or 2 inch piece of fresh ginger peeling not necessary
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper black pepper also works, or even some of both
- Optional: 1 heaping teaspoon whole coriander seeds
Cooked Veggies (use any you like; below are just suggestions)
- 1 head bok choy or equivalent baby bok choy about 4 units, it will keep cooking in the hot broth when you add it, very lightly steamed
- And/ or
- 2 medium long squash or 3 medium zucchinis steamed or grilled in lengthwise slices (see photNote: Brush with unrefined sesame oil or virgin coconut oil and lightly salt before grilling
Raw Vegetables/ Garnish
- 1 bunch each Thai basil fresh spearmint, and cilantro
- 2-3 green onions use the white and green parts, slices or minced
- Optional: mung bean sprouts
- Optional: 4 wedges of fresh lime
- Optional: Hot chiles to taste such as serrano, jalapeño, or red Thai, thinly sliced
- Optional: high quality fish sauce to taste at the end no chemical preservatives or sugar, such as Red Boat brand
- 2-3 ounces (raw weight) rice noodles, such as Lotus Foods organic forbidden rice ramen (no flavor packet), Tinkayada brown rice fettuccini noodles, rice stick noodles, or whatever suits your fancy, cooked al dente according to package directions
Instructions
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Whenever is easy for you: Make sure you have at least 6 cups of homemade bone broth on hand (if buying, make sure it is high-quality, as described in our bone broth post). The richer the broth (here we mean concentration of minerals), the more incredible your soup will be. However, do the best you can with the time and energy you have.
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One day ahead, more or less: Leaving the boneless skinless chicken thighs whole, toss to coat in marinade ingredients and let sit in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container at least overnight if not for a full day or two (longer means more flavor). Note: If you must have pho urgently, then you can skip the whole marinating step. It will still be good.
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Simmer bone broth with spices for 30 minutes while you prep the other ingredients. Strain out spices when finished. Keep very warm or reheat just before serving.
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If you don't have the cooked veggies already made, this is a good time to do it.
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Light up the grill and cook your chicken thighs, then cut into bite-size strips or cubes.
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We like to take advantage of the grill to prepare long squash (or you can use zucchini).
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If you don't have a grill, don't sweat it. You can just cut the chicken in strips and let it boil in a little of the broth. You can also take the steamed vegetable route.
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Cook your choice of noodles while veggies and meat cook.
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Prepare raw garnishes for your soup bowls.
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Assembly: distribute the noodles, chicken, veggies, and raw garnishes across four deep soup bowls. Cover with about 12 ounces hot broth. If desired, squeeze in fresh lime juice and add high quality fish sauce to taste, if desired. We actually recommend tasting it before adding the last two ingredients just so you can decide which you like best for future reference. Serve immediately.
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Vegan Version:
Replace the chicken bone broth with vegetable or mushroom broth. Replace the chicken with slices of tempeh fried in coconut oil.