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Vegan Pho Chay

Vegan Pho Chay

By: Cindy Lam Lorimer
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 15 bowls
Vegan pho boasts a broth bursting with equally rich and satisfying flavors as its meat counterpart, ensuring a delicious experience for all.

Ingredients

Broth:

  • 3 onions, peeled, leave whole, charbroiled
  • 1 ginger, 2-3 inch big, peeled, charbroiled
  • 3 leeks, cut green top and toss, leave bottom half intact to use
  • ½ cup kosher salt
  • ½ cup mushroom powder
  • 1 bunch of cilantro stems, stems only and not the leaves
  • 3 Fuji apples, peeled
  • 2 Asian pears, peeled
  • 3 chayote, peeled
  • 1 jicama, peeled
  • 1 opo squash, peeled
  • 1 whole cabbage
  • 1 whole napa cabbage
  • 2 corn on the cob
  • 4 king oyster mushrooms , or 8 oz regular oyster mushrooms
  • 8 oz white button mushrooms
  • 2 portobello mushrooms

Ingredients:

  • tangerine peel from a whole tangerine
  • 2 cinnamon sticks, preferably Saigon cinnamon sticks
  • 2 whole nutmegs
  • 1 heaping Tbsp fennel seeds
  • 1 heaping Tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 heaping Tbsp whole cloves
  • 1 heaping Tbsp black cardamom pods
  • handful star anise, 8-10 pieces
  • 1 bag pho powder, such as Pho Hoa brand which can be found on Amazon
  • 1/4 cup vegan fish sauce
  • 6 oz bean curd skin sticks, soak in warm water for 15 minutes
  • 2 large shallots, sliced
  • 3 14 oz firm tofu, cut into one inch pieces and fried
  • 4 lbs oyster mushrooms
  • 2 Tbsp 5 spice powder
  • 1 pinch sugar
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • 2 lbs. carrots, peeled, cut into 2 inch lengths
  • 2 10-12 inch long daikons, cut into one inch thick pieces
  • 1/4 cup vegan fish sauce
  • pho noodles

Garnish:

  • cilantro
  • culantro
  • green onions
  • onions
  • basil
  • bean sprouts
  • jalapeno peppers
  • fried bean curd skin
  • lime

For the dipping sauce with your tofu and sliced oyster mushroom:

  • sriracha
  • hoisin sauce

Instructions

  • Charbroil ginger and 2 whole onions until you see a bit of sweat. Add to the pot of water..
  • Add all of the broth ingredients to 24 qt pot.
  • Bring it to a boil and turn heat down to medium low and let it simmer for 3 hours.
  • Constantly scoop off the scum on top so your pho broth will be as clear as possible.
  • After 3 hours of simmering, strain broth and discard all the vegetables.
  • Place strained broth into a 16 quart pot since it has evaporated quite a bit.
  • Add the tangerine peel to the broth.
  • Toast all your spices (cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, whole cloves, cardamom pods, star anise) in a dry pan until you see a bit of smoke come out. Be careful to not overburn the spices!
  • Place toasted spices in a cheesecloth, tie it and put in the pot.
  • Add pho teabag and ¼ cup fish sauce.
  • Soak bean curd skins in warm water for 15 mins. After 15 mins, drain and cut into 2 inch pieces. Set aside.
  • In a large skillet, fry half of shallots for a minute until softened.
  • Then add fried tofu, half of 5 spice powder, a sprinkle of sugar, salt and pepper and fry for a few more minutes. Repeat same process with oyster mushrooms.  
  • Add to broth along with carrots, daikon and vegan fish sauce.
  • Pat dry bean curd and then deep fry until golden brown. Another option is to air fry tofu for 30 minutes at 380 degrees (the French fry mode)  
  • Let broth simmer for another hour.
  • Remove the bag of spices and the pho teabag.
  • Prep your pho noodles as per the instructions on the bag. I sometimes like to use egg noodles instead of pho noodles.
  • Place noodles in a bowl and pour the yummy goodiness of the broth, its vegetables and tofu.
  • Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, culantro, green onions and thin slices of onions.
  • Add basil, bean sprouts and slices of jalapeno.
  • Garnish with a handful of fried bean curd skin.
  • Squeeze lime into your bowl.
  • Dip tofu and king oyster slices into your ramekin of hoisin and sriracha sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bowl | Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 3832mg | Potassium: 772mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 15783IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 3mg

Equipment

  • 24 quart pot
  • 16 quart pot