Thursday, November 7, 2013

Faux Pho-- A Vegan Noodle Soup



Faced with a bag full of strange greens, including Tatsoi, from the CSA this week I went online and found this recipe for a Faux Pho. I choose this recipe because it was vegan and because I thought I might successfully substitute the Tatsoi for Bok Choy. Oi!



We liked this light and flavorful soup alot and will definitely try it again.

As is often the case, I did not have the exact ingredients on hand to make the dish, so I made a few changes. Here is my slightly tweaked version of a very nice recipe.

Faux Pho



Ingredients
  • 6 oz. Soba noodles
  • 1 teaspoon cooking oil (mild flavored, such as peanut, vegetable, soy, or canola)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 inch knob of fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 teaspoon crushed or ground szechuan peppercorns
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • +-1/4 cup cooking oil (mild flavored, such as peanut, vegetable, soy, or canola)
  • 2 baby bok choy, sliced----I used a head of Tatsoi
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 onion, sliced lengthwise
  • 1 T sesame oil, divided
  • 8 oz button mushrooms
  • 1 quart vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp vegetable bouillon
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free)
  • 1 handful fresh basil, shredded or sliced
  • salt & pepper to taste
Directions
  1. Cook the noodles according to package directions, then immediately drain, and rinse in cold water. Toss with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil to keep from sticking.
  2. Add the ginger, szechuan peppercorns, crushed red pepper, and 2-3T of cooking oil to a small stock pot.  Mix together, then increase the heat to medium.  Allow the ingredients to sweat for 10 - 15 minutes.  They should become fragrant, but do not let them burn.
  3. Add the carrots, onions, mushrooms and red bell pepper.  Saute for about 5 minutes, just long enough for the vegetables to begin to soften. Add minced garlic. Saute for about 2 minutes. 
  4. Add the broth and bouillon and greens.
  5. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then quickly reduce to a simmer. 
  6. Add the soy sauce and the noodles.
  7. Taste, then add salt and pepper as needed.  You may also want to add a little crushed red pepper or siracha sauce to add a little heat. 
  8. Divide the soup, noodles, and vegetables into bowls, then garnish with the fresh basil.