I’ve eaten variations of this satisfying noodle soup in restaurants. The best story involves my husband and jambonneau in Paris: When visiting our friend Todd in Paris, we were on our own one night and went to a nearby Vietnamese restaurant. I ordered a spicy curry pho bowl. Joe ordered pho with jambonneau (I knew jambon was ham). When the waiter, in verifying the order with his dumb tourist customers, made walking motions with his hand and finger, we thought it was to indicate it was a walking pig, right, as opposed to a fish or bird. You readers smarter than us will realize that it was a pig’s foot, which shocked Joe when his bowl arrived bearing that big jambonneau smack in the middle. I wasn’t bothered, having used smoked ham hocks in split pea soup, and laughed at yet another language faux pas. He never quite recovered during his meal, while I happily slurped on my curry noodles.
I later decided to try it at home, minus the jambonneau. It was a happy experiment.
Here is my version. It isn’t authentic since I didn’t simmer oxtails and such in a huge pot for hours. But it’s very forgiving as far as substitutions and amounts. It’s also fast, once ingredients are ready, as well as easy, filling and healthful. (In an “emergency,” you can cook 3 packages of ramen noodles with two of the enclosed seasoning packets for the Chinese noodles in plain broth.) I like to load it with vegetables.
Joe uses a spoon and a fork. I use a spoon and chopsticks and add a dash of hot chili oil to my bowl. Yum. You can also have soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil on hand as condiments.
Pho
Noodle seasonings
1 tsp. peanut or other oil
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
Soup
12 oz. fresh Chinese egg noodles, about 1/8-inch thick (I’ve substituted lesser amount of dried – or even vermicelli – with no problem) or rice noodles
1 carton Trader Joe’s soy-ginger broth*
Additional chicken or beef broth to make amount of broth you want
1 cup sliced bok choy or spinach
1 cup sliced mushrooms and/or julienned snow peas
Bean sprouts (optional)
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks or very thinly sliced
1 bundle green onions, white and a little of the green, thinly sliced
Toppings
Any combination of cooked chicken, beef, shrimp, ham, duck, or even better, char siu (Chinese barbecued pork from a local restaurant or Asian market) in separate bowls.
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix noodle seasonings and set aside.
Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain in colander, rinse under cool water and toss with the seasonings in the bowl.
Bring the broth to a boil. Add the vegetables and cook for several minutes. Ladle into bowls. Add desired amount of noodles and toppings to individual servings.
Note: If you have leftovers, store noodles separately from broth, or they will absorb much of the liquid.
* Sadly, Trader Joe’s no longer sells this broth, so just add some ginger and soy to your broth to suit your taste buds.
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