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Quick Pork Pho

4.5

(10)

Image may contain Plant Food Produce Vegetable Sprout and Bean Sprout
Quick Pork PhoChristina Holmes

Vietnamese pho is built on a long-simmered and aromatic stock infused with charred ginger and onion, spices, and fish sauce, ladled over rice noodles and most commonly served with thin slices of beef. This is not that. We borrowed the technique of charring the onion and toasting the spices to give a quick, weeknight-friendly boost to store-bought chicken stock for this pork and noodle soup.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    1 hour

Ingredients

1 medium onion, peeled, halved through root end
2 chiles de árbol or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise pods
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 1" piece ginger, peeled, crushed
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 bone-in pork shoulder steaks (about 12 ounces each)
Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
8 ounces thin rice stick noodles

For serving:

Mung bean sprouts
fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems
thinly sliced scallions
chopped unsalted, roasted peanuts
lime wedges

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a dry large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Cook onion, cut side down, until lightly charred, about 5 minutes; transfer to a plate.

    Step 2

    Add chiles (if using crushed red pepper flakes, add with fennel seeds), garlic, cinnamon stick, and star anise to skillet and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add fennel seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds (do not burn). Quickly transfer to a large saucepan (reserve skillet) and add onion, ginger, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until broth is flavorful. Meanwhile, heat oil in reserved skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before thinly slicing.

    Step 3

    Cook noodles according to package directions. Divide among bowls; add pork. Strain broth and ladle into bowls. Top pho with bean sprouts, cilantro, scallions, and peanuts and serve with lime wedges.

Nutrition Per Serving

null
#### Nutritional analysis provided by Bon Appétit
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