Take the complexity out of cooking with Chef Tu’s Vietnamese Spice blends. These blends take the gratuitous effort out of stocking your pantry with the right spices. And the prudent tasks of measuring, so you can focus on cooking.
Nem Nướng Sausage Mix
All Purpose Lemongrass Blend
Multi-Purpose Phở Seasoning
![Phở Gà [Chicken Pho]](https://i.imgur.com/apv56Hm.jpg "Phở Gà [Chicken Pho]")
Phở Gà [Chicken Pho]
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a large pot, fill it with 2 quarts of cold water
- Add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt, mix until salt is dissolved
- Brine the whole chicken for 15-20 minutes
- Drain the pot
- Rinse chicken under cold water, until water runs clear
- Set oven on broil (low) preheat for 5 minutes
- Slice ginger into 1” chunks, do not peel
- Slice onion into 1 “ chunks do not peel
- Break apart garlic cloves, do not peel
- Place all aromatics in the oven to broil for 5-7 minutes. Then rotate the alliums for even charring. Broil for another 5-7 minutes
- Roast the aromatics until they are charred on all sides.
- Do not remove the char. The char is what will flavor the broth. And gives the broth a brownish hue.
- Place the whole, skin-on (garlic, ginger, or onion) in a thick bottom pan.
- Place the pan on the stove.
- Turn on the butane torch. Make sure to reference the device's user's guide.
- Brush the flame evenly across the skin of the (garlic, ginger, or onion) until it's black in most spots—you want it to be charred.
- Do not remove the char. The char is what will flavor the broth. And gives the broth a brownish hue.
- In the same large pot, fill the pot with 4 quarts of chicken stock and 2 quarts of filtered water.
- Add the roasted aromatics and Spice Tribe/Chef Tu Pho Seasoning.
- Add brined chicken to the pot and place pot on medium heat
- Add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to the pot
- Bring the pot to a simmer and continue cooking for 40 minutes
- Remove chicken from the pot and check the chicken for doneness. Use a probe thermometer to penetrate the thickest part of the chicken. Internal temperature must reach 165 F. for 30 seconds.
- Continue to cook the broth on medium heat for another 20 minutes.
- Set aside the poached chicken to cool to ambient temperature before carving. [15 minutes]
- Carve the chicken: remove the breast off the bone; remove the legs and place them back into the broth; place the chicken bone carcass and chicken wings back into the broth as well.
- Please see [this YouTube] tutorial on how to carve your chicken (start at 1:47 mark)
- Continue to cook the broth on medium heat until it comes to simmer.
- Keep the broth at a simmer for 60 minutes - simultaneously use a skimmer to remove any scum that rises to the surface.
- Drain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer
- Return broth to the pot. Season broth with 1 tsp of Kosher salt, 4 tbsp fish sauce, and 2 tbsp organic sugar. Taste, and adjust the seasoning by adding more fish sauce, if needed.
- Bring the broth back to a simmer. Then, turn the heat to low, to keep the soup hot.
- While the broth is cooking, it's a good time to prepare the noodles, and also the herbs for the table so you have everything ready.
- Soak the dried rice noodles in hot tap water for 10 minutes. They will soften just a bit, and become more opaque.
- Drain the noodles.
- Simultaneously. bring a separate medium-sized pot of water to a boil.
- Add noodles, stir occasionally to prevent sticking and burning
- Cook until the noodles are done (2-3 minutes)
- Once the noodles are done, drain the noodles into a food colander.
- Rinse them thoroughly with cold water until the water runs clear.
- In a large soup bowl, first, start with your pho noodles to a bowl.
- Garnish with the bowl with 3-4 thin slices of chicken breast.
- Ladle boiling broth into the bowl.
- Garnish serrano slices, sliced scallions, and cilantro leaves.
- Serve immediately.
- In a small saucepan, preheat the pan with 3 tbsp of avocado oil on low heat for 30 seconds
- Add 1/4 cup, Small Diced Lap Xuong (or Sub Applewood Smoked Bacon). And Add minced ginger to the saucepan and cook for 2 minutes, while stirring
- Add sliced scallions to the saucepan and cook for 1 minute
- Take the saucepan off the heat
- Add ½ tsp fish sauce
- Add ¼ tsp rice vinegar
- Add a 1/8 tsp of kosher salt
- Mix thoroughly before serving
Notes
Pho History
[Pre-Occupation]
Pho was originally made with water buffalo. And it wasn’t as popular at the time. It was a regional dish found in Northern Vietnamese provinces. It wasn’t the 19th century [In the era of French Occupation] that Water Buffalo in Pho was replaced with the European cow, specifically n Hanoi.
[French Occupation, 1900-1950s]
There are many contributing factors and theories. However, there was on the main fact gave birth to Beef Pho;
Hanoi was the capital of French-Indochina [compiled nations of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and the Chinese territory of Guangzhuowan]. Thus, translating a strong presence of French colonists. The demand from French palates brought the European cow.
Naturally, the European cow (as an ingredient) would find its way to Hanoi’s food scene to be utilized as an essential ingredient; beef found its way to be the permanent substitute for water buffalo in pho. Considering these historical contexts and cultural intersections, going into the 20th century, Pho would be a an iconic staple in street food in Hanoi. And its popularity was contagious. In the next 50 years, Pho would go from a local Hanoi favorite to a national dish.
[Vietnamese Communism & Food Rationing, 1950s-1975]
In the latter half of the 20th century, food rationing was imposed on the citizens of Vietnam, in particular rice. And left no room for other ingredients (beef) as it was considered a luxury item. This “shift in policy” immediately reflected in the way people cook. Recipes were adapted. And Vietnam’s iconic Beef Pho evolved to Chicken Pho. As chicken pho stalls overtook Vietnam’s street with popularity, different regions in Vietnam started to form their own styles. Most notably, in the north and south.
[North Vietnam Chicken Pho] embraces the minimalistic approach. It’s about the broth, noodles, and meat; garnishes are kept to a minimum; broth seasonings are fatty and salty.
[South Vietnam Chicken Pho] is reflective of the abundance of herbs and spices found in South Vietnam. Pho styles in the south are always seasoned with a medley of warm spices; an abundance of herb garnishes are preferred; broth seasonings highlights are of licorice and alliums.
I love both (north and south Vietnam) iterations of Phở. And in homage to that, my recipe is an amalgamation of both styles. It’s a holiday favorite in the Phu house. Hopefully, in yours also.
