PKU Pho
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Bean Thread noodles are one of my favorite Asian noodles to cook with. I love them in a stir-fry, I think they taste delicious that way (go check out my recipe!). One recipe that’s been on my mind for a while that I’ve been wanting to try is Vietnamese Pho. Typically it’s made with rice noodles, which aren’t that much higher in phe, but I thought that bean thread noodles are a great low-pro alternative that the majority of people with PKU can access and consume.
I found a good vegetarian friendly recipe from COOKIE + kate on Pinterest that I used as a baseline to create a PKU version for you. If you want to check it out, here is her original recipe.
The flavors of this soup are very warm and robust. One of the first steps is to cook the spices (star anise, cinnamon, onion) before adding broth. I can taste the cinnamon every time I take a *slurp* of this soup. ’Cause let’s be real, the only right way to consume this dish is to slurp it. One note I will make about cooking this recipe is ~beware~ when adding the broth, I maybe set off my fire alarm at that step. Oops. It’s all good though, no human, cat, or any other creature was harmed in the making of this recipe. Maybe just a little startled.
I used to be able to find bean thread noodles in the grocery store all the time, but lately I’ve noticed they don’t stock them anymore. I’m sure an Asian grocery store would have them stocked, but unfortunately I don’t live near one anymore. I order my bean threads in bulk from Amazon now just so I have them on hand and don’t have to order them frequently. The only preparation for these noodles is that you need to set them in boiling water for ~20 minutes.
This does make 4 servings of soup, so this is a great recipe to make for a family dinner. The garnishes on the soup are absolutely swappable and optional. I garnished mine with slices of jalapeño, green onion, and I meant to put mint leaves on it but I accidentally forgot, but you can always use basil leaves or any other herb you prefer. This dish is also typically topped with bean sprouts but I left those out to reduce the phe content. Let me know what you think of this recipe, enjoy!
Ingredients:
6 oz Bean Thread noodles
2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves
*all nutriion information was calculated excluding the garnishes*
2 star anise
1 white onion
4 inch piece of ginger
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
5 ounces shiitake mushrooms
Salt
Garnish (all optional):
Sprigs of fresh mint
Sprig of Fresh cilantro
Slice green onions (green parts)
Sliced Jalapeño
2 Lime wedges
Phe per serving: 81mg
*all nutrition information was calculated excluding the garnishes*
Directions:
Prepare your vegetables. Peel and quarter the onion, peel the ginger and cut in half lengthwise, and thinly slice the shiitake mushrooms.
Warm up a soup pot or dutch oven on medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, and star anise. Stir occasionally and toast until fragrant (about 3-4 minutes).
Add the onion, ginger, vegetable broth, water, and soy sauce. Raise the heat and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat as needed to maintain a simmer.
Let the pot simmer for 30 minutes to allow flavors to combine.
Prepare bean thread noodles according to the package. Set noodles aside.
Warm oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until simmering. Add sliced mushrooms and a few dashes of salt. Cook the mushrooms for about 4-6 minutes until they are tender and lightly browned.
Once the broth has finished brewing, strain out the onions, ginger, and spices with a spider strainer. (You can also use a colander with a bowl underneath if you do not have a spider strainer).
Season to taste with extra soy sauce or salt and pepper as desired.
Ladle the broth into a bowl with the noodles and cooked mushrooms. Then add with your preferred garnish.
Serve and enjoy!