Chef Brad Style Pho

Any time I am sick I love eating Pho. Pho, pronounced “fuh”, is such a comfort food. I really love how it warms the body and soul. I love the warm and rich broth and the fresh flavors of the basils and herbs that are used in it. No wonder it is called the “Bowl of Happiness”. It really makes one happy.
Sometimes we are daunted by foods we love to eat, thinking they would be complicated if we tried to make them on our own. In reality a lot of those foods are so simple. Pho, is one of those foods. Fresh and fun. It’s pretty easy to make, and the end results are great.
The hardest part of creating a wonderful Pho is the broth. I for one don’t often take the time to make that wonderful broth, but have found a great shortcut. I was discussing Pho with a friend and he recommended that I use hoisin sauce, found in any store in the oriental section, in my broth to up the flavor. Using a good quality beef or chicken broth and adding hoisin sauce makes it really rich and so easy to do.
You can add basically anything you want to to Pho, from thin sliced meat to meat balls, seafood to chicken, the options are unlimited. One thing that is not limited is the fresh herbs, although there is a great variety to use that is the magic behind Pho, fresh herbs really make it wonderful. Usually mint or basils are used, but use your imagination.
Another thing I love to do is add grains to the Pho. My favorite is quinoa. Most work well, but they would be need to be cooked up and added at the end when add your ingredients.
Food is a great adventure. This year we are going to expand your culinary world with foods from different parts of the world done in such a way that even the novice will have great success.
Enjoy the Journey
Chef Brad~America’s Grain Guy

Chef Brad Style Pho
INGREDIENTS:
-Stock with hoisin sauce added to taste
-Buckwheat soba noodles or rice noodles
-Meat
-Vegetables: carrots, bean sprouts, corn, Jalapanos potatoes, etc.
-Grain, cooked quinoa, black, white, or red
-Fresh herbs, basil, mints, etc
DIRECTIONS:
Cook noodles according to instruction. Set aside. In bowl place broth, noodles and top with whatever ingredients you want.