Oh baby it's cold outside tonight! To warm our insides I made a quick batch of pho. While I usually will boil up some fresh bone broth and add in a little Chinese five spice, tonight I just popped some beef boullion and five spice in boiling water, added shirataki noodles, onion, cilantro and coconut Aminos and we were on our way to flavor town! I had hot sauce (we use Sambal and Sriracha), lime juice, and stevia (as a hoisin substitute) available so the flavors could be adjusted as needed. I have to say, it was pretty good for a quick pho! It also helped that it was basically zero calorie since we didn't even use meat. I'll include 3 recipes below, fast and simple, the long version, and an easy crock pot option. Enjoy!
Fast Prep Pho - single serving
Ingredients
1 pack Shirataki
1/2 teaspoon beef boullion (if you have bone broth on hand you can use it instead of boullion and water)
1/8 teaspoon Chinese five spice (optional)
2 tablespoons Soy sauce or Coconut Aminos
3-4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon cilantro
1 tablespoon onion
1 sprig Thai Basil (if you have it)
Any leftover meat, chicken, seafood you may have
For the garnish
Asian hot sauce of any kind (Sriracha, Sambal, Chile Serrano in Vinegar and Chili Pepper Flakes in oil are traditional)
Lemon or Lime
Stevia and Coconut Aminos
Bean Sprouts (if you have them on hand)
Directions
Rinse and drain shirataki noodles
Add boullion, five spice and soy sauce/coconut Aminos to boiling water
Add shirataki and onion and allow to boil for a minute so the flavors meld
Remove from heat.
Add in cilantro, thai basil and meat
Garnish as desired
NOTE - do not use sweet basil for this dish, Thai Basil more closely resembles mint than sweet basil.
Paleo Pho - The Long Version (4 hours or so)
Beef Bones - about 1/4 of these should have marrow if possible
Water to cover the bones
1 whole Onion, peeled and ends removed
Chinese five spice to taste or a pack or pho seasonings (it looks like a tea bag, do not use the jarred stuff) - if you have a plethora of spices at home make your own mix with Cardamom, Cinnamon, Star Anise, Coriander, Fennel and cloves - stuff in two coffee filters and tie with kitchen twine.
1 piece ginger, 2 inches or so, sliced lengthwise
Paper thin sliced steak (available at most Asian grocery stores) or a large roast or other cut of meat (London broil, sirloin, eye of round, flank, etc) - if you use a large roast read my note at the end
5-6 Packs Shirataki Noodles
For garnish ingredients see fast recipe garnish ingredients
Directions
In an oven proof pan broil the beef bones until lightly browned, turning as you go to get them evenly browned
Add in your onion and ginger for the last few minutes of broiling, the point is to get them lightly roasted but not overly cooked
Put bones, broiled veggies and any pan juices into a large pot and bring to a rolling boil.
Skim whatever scum rises to the top during this and the entire cooking process
After 15 minutes of boiling and your first skim, add in your pho spices and reduce your heat to maintain a high simmer.
Simmer for 3 hours, making sure to skim off the scum every 30 minutes or as it builds. After 3 hours your broth is ready to be served or frozen for later use.
In the last 5 minutes of cooking and just before serving, add your drained and rinsed noodles to the broth and bring to a rolling boil.
Serve in bowls
Add in thinly slice steak and garnish
Enjoy!
NOTE - if using a large roast, pop it in the freezer for 10-20 minutes so it firms up. Then slice it paper thin against the grain.
Crock Pot Pho
Ingredients are the same as the long version above
Directions
Roast bones and veggies as directed above
Pop everything except noodles into your crock pot, cover with water and cook on high for 3-4 hours
Before serving, pour broth into a clean pot and bring to a boil. Make sure to pour through a thin mesh strainer lined with cheese cloth or a coffee filter - the point is to clean out as much scum as possible, leaving a clean broth as your soup.
Add in your rinsed and drained shirataki noodles and boil for 5 minutes or so.
Serve into bowls
Add meat and garnish
Enjoy!
Another NOTE - if cooking oxtail as your meat, treat it as you would any of the bones in this recipe by browning it in the oven first and simmering during the entire process until tender.
Fast Prep Pho - single serving
Ingredients
1 pack Shirataki
1/2 teaspoon beef boullion (if you have bone broth on hand you can use it instead of boullion and water)
1/8 teaspoon Chinese five spice (optional)
2 tablespoons Soy sauce or Coconut Aminos
3-4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon cilantro
1 tablespoon onion
1 sprig Thai Basil (if you have it)
Any leftover meat, chicken, seafood you may have
For the garnish
Asian hot sauce of any kind (Sriracha, Sambal, Chile Serrano in Vinegar and Chili Pepper Flakes in oil are traditional)
Lemon or Lime
Stevia and Coconut Aminos
Bean Sprouts (if you have them on hand)
Directions
Rinse and drain shirataki noodles
Add boullion, five spice and soy sauce/coconut Aminos to boiling water
Add shirataki and onion and allow to boil for a minute so the flavors meld
Remove from heat.
Add in cilantro, thai basil and meat
Garnish as desired
NOTE - do not use sweet basil for this dish, Thai Basil more closely resembles mint than sweet basil.
Paleo Pho - The Long Version (4 hours or so)
Beef Bones - about 1/4 of these should have marrow if possible
Water to cover the bones
1 whole Onion, peeled and ends removed
Chinese five spice to taste or a pack or pho seasonings (it looks like a tea bag, do not use the jarred stuff) - if you have a plethora of spices at home make your own mix with Cardamom, Cinnamon, Star Anise, Coriander, Fennel and cloves - stuff in two coffee filters and tie with kitchen twine.
1 piece ginger, 2 inches or so, sliced lengthwise
Paper thin sliced steak (available at most Asian grocery stores) or a large roast or other cut of meat (London broil, sirloin, eye of round, flank, etc) - if you use a large roast read my note at the end
5-6 Packs Shirataki Noodles
For garnish ingredients see fast recipe garnish ingredients
Directions
In an oven proof pan broil the beef bones until lightly browned, turning as you go to get them evenly browned
Add in your onion and ginger for the last few minutes of broiling, the point is to get them lightly roasted but not overly cooked
Put bones, broiled veggies and any pan juices into a large pot and bring to a rolling boil.
Skim whatever scum rises to the top during this and the entire cooking process
After 15 minutes of boiling and your first skim, add in your pho spices and reduce your heat to maintain a high simmer.
Simmer for 3 hours, making sure to skim off the scum every 30 minutes or as it builds. After 3 hours your broth is ready to be served or frozen for later use.
In the last 5 minutes of cooking and just before serving, add your drained and rinsed noodles to the broth and bring to a rolling boil.
Serve in bowls
Add in thinly slice steak and garnish
Enjoy!
NOTE - if using a large roast, pop it in the freezer for 10-20 minutes so it firms up. Then slice it paper thin against the grain.
Crock Pot Pho
Ingredients are the same as the long version above
Directions
Roast bones and veggies as directed above
Pop everything except noodles into your crock pot, cover with water and cook on high for 3-4 hours
Before serving, pour broth into a clean pot and bring to a boil. Make sure to pour through a thin mesh strainer lined with cheese cloth or a coffee filter - the point is to clean out as much scum as possible, leaving a clean broth as your soup.
Add in your rinsed and drained shirataki noodles and boil for 5 minutes or so.
Serve into bowls
Add meat and garnish
Enjoy!
Another NOTE - if cooking oxtail as your meat, treat it as you would any of the bones in this recipe by browning it in the oven first and simmering during the entire process until tender.