Tag: #Pho
A Photastic Chicken Noodle Salad (Pho Ga Tron)

A Photastic Chicken Noodle Salad (Pho Ga Tron)

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I found a recipe in the Los Angeles Times for a quick delicious Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup, Pho Ga.  The author, Andrea Ngyuen also tacked on a second recipe, Pho Ga Tron, or Chicken Pho Noodle Salad.  The broth from the Pho Ga is a building block for the sweet and spicy dressing for the salad. The salad contains rice noodles, herbs, and greens, and is topped with crispy fried onions and roasted peanuts.  It’s lip-smacking good! Andrea actually makes the quick broth just for this dish and serves bowls of the broth alongside the salad.   Make the soup for Pho Ga one day, and reserve the extra broth to make the dressing for the salad another day.  I julienned romaine lettuce for added crunch. I bet napa cabbage or iceberg would also work.

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Chicken Pho Noodle Salad

Course Salad
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Pho Ga Tron, Vietnamese Chicken Pho Salad
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Quick Chicken Pho broth, divided. See Quick Pho Ga recipe

  • 1/2 cup chicken pho broth
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 1⁄2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons regular soy sauce
  • 1 1⁄2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons water
  • 10 ounces dried medium flat rice noodles
  • About 8 ounces cooked chicken from Quick Chicken Pho
  • 2 cups butter lettuce or soft leaf lettuce cut into narrow ribbons, with spines intact
  • 1⁄4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leafy tops only
  • 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint or Thai basil leaves
  • 1/3 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup fried shallots or onion homemade or purchased
  • Thinly sliced green onions for garnish

Instructions

  • Combine 1⁄2 cup of the broth with the salt, sugar, chile sauce, vinegar and soy sauce. Set this sauce mixture near the stove.
  • Put the oil and the garlic in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until the garlic sizzles and is light blond, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from heat for about 15 seconds to cool slightly, then add the sauce mixture. Place the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir the cornstarch slurry, then swirl into the bubbly sauce. Once thickened, about 15 seconds, remove from heat and set aside for at least 10 minutes before using. This makes about 1/2 cup sauce.
  • Meanwhile, boil the noodles in a pot of water until tender chewy following the package instructions, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain, cool quickly under running water, then set aside to fully drain and cool.
  • Reheat the remaining broth in a saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, cut or shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and, if needed, warm in a microwave oven to remove the chill and refresh; ideally the chicken has some succulence. Set aside.
  • To assemble, have 4 rice bowls for broth and 4 noodle-soup-size bowls for the salad. Put a little green onion into each rice bowl (use the rest for the noodle salad). Set near the broth.
  • Divide the lettuce among the noodle soup bowls. Add a portion of noodles and chicken, then drizzle over the sauce to taste. Top with the remaining green onion, cilantro, mint (or basil), peanut, and fried shallots (or onion).
  • Ladle the hot broth into the rice bowls. Serve immediately with the noodle salad bowls. Invite guests to wield spoons and chopsticks to toss their salads and enjoy the broth as soothing interludes. If the noodles seem too heavy with sauce, mix in a spoonful of broth. 

Each serving:

  • Calories 613; Protein 33 grams; Carbohydrates 82 grams; Fiber 3 grams; Fat 18 grams; Saturated fat 3 grams; Cholesterol 72 mg; Sugar 10 grams; Sodium 1,795 mg
Instant Pot Pho Ga
Fast, Flavorful, Pho-tastic(Instant Pot Pho Ga, Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup )

Fast, Flavorful, Pho-tastic(Instant Pot Pho Ga, Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup )

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I can’t think of anything more comforting than a steaming bowl of noodle soup.   If marooned on an island, what would you eat and what 3 books would you want to have with you.  My response would be immediate, a no-brainer, noodle soup.  The caveat being noodle soup would include Pho, Ramen, Udon, Won Ton Noodle Soup, Guksu, Laksa….  and one of my 3 books would be Andrea Nguyen’s The Pho Cookbook.

I have always wanted to try my hand at making Pho. But the stock for this popular Vietnamese Noodle Soup is a labor of love.  Hours of simmering on the stove coaxing the flavors out of chicken, beef, and aromatics like ginger, onions, and cilantro. Intimidating to say the least.  Andrea’s recipe for Pho Ga (Chicken Pho) made in a pressure cooker was the “kick in the pants” I needed.  Pho in less than an hour?  I immediately headed to the store for ingredients. Slurp City here I come. Thanks to Andrea Nguyen and Instant Pot, I was about to make Pho in a fraction of the time.  Ms. Nguyen has written quite a few cookbooks on the cuisine of Vietnam and I snapped up her ode to soup noodles after an interview on KQED.

Instant Pot Pho Ga

This makes homemade Pho eminently doable. One pot cooking, woohoo.  Increase the cooking time if you have an Instant Pot.  It works at a slightly lower pressure (11.5psi) than a conventional pressure cooker.   Remove the cilantro and ginger after the cooking process as both herbs continue to flavor the stock and may overpower the flavor of the broth. Modify the natural pressure release by letting your Instant Pot sit for 5 minutes before venting and opening. Once you remove the chicken, place it in a cold water bath.  This keeps the chicken tender and moist. If you like your chicken a bit more done, leave it in the pot for about 15 minutes before removing. The chicken can be shredded or sliced whatever your preference.

With your broth done, your noodles softened.  It is now Topping Time!  Toppings, toppings, toppings galore. You can be traditional and top your pho with basil, mint, and bean sprouts or you can keep going and add ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING YOU WANT.  I didn’t have bean sprouts so I used shredded carrots and cabbage. Thinly sliced red onions add a nice bite.  Delicious.  Mushrooms, let those fungus fly..into your bowl.  Condiments include Siracha for spice, Hoisin for a bit of sweetness and a squeeze of lime.  S cubed-sweet, salty, spicy and so good!

Now you and I can make our own bowls of deliciousness.

Instant Pot Pho Ga

Instant Pot Pho Ga
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Fast, Flavorful, Pho-tastic (Instant Pot Pho Ga)

A faster and simpler way to make a tasty bowl of Pho!
Course comfort food, noodles, one bowl meal, Soup
Cuisine Asian, Vietnamese
Keyword Chicken, Pho, Pho Ga, rice noodles, soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot

Ingredients

BROTH

  • 1 whole chicken 4 lbs.
  • 1 rounded tbsp. coriander seeds
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 medium yellow onion peeled, halved, and sliced 1/2 in. thick
  • 1 3- in. piece ginger peeled and thickly sliced
  • 1 small Fuji apple peeled, cored, and cut into thumbnail-size chunks
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro sprigs
  • 2 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp About. organic sugar* or 2 tsp. maple syrup if needed to round out flavor

Noods and Bowls

  • 10 ounce dried narrow flat rice noodles*
  • About half of cooked chicken from the broth
  • 1/2 small red onion halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced and soaked in water 10 minutes
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion green parts only
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • white or black pepper

Garnishes & Condiments

  • Vietnamese Herb Garnish Plate
  • Vietnamese Ginger Dipping Sauce
  • Siracha Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, lime wedges

Instructions

  • Make broth: Rinse chicken and set aside to drain. Put coriander seeds and cloves in a dry 6- to 8-qt. pressure cooker. Over medium heat, toast until fragrant, shaking, several minutes. Add onion and ginger and cook, stirring, until browned on edges, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add 4 cups water, then the chicken, breast side up. Add apple, cilantro, salt, and another 4 cups water. Lock the lid in place.
  • Following your cooker's instructions, bring to low pressure (8 psi) over high heat. Lower heat to maintain pressure. Cook 15 minutes, or a few minutes longer if your cooker's low setting is less than 8 psi. If your cooker has only a high-pressure (15 psi) setting, cook 12 minutes. The Instant Pot setting is approximately 12 psi so I increased the time to 14 minutes. If you like your chicken falling off the bone leave the chicken in the Instant Pot for 20 minutes before pressure release. I waited 5 minutes and then did a quick release. The chicken was tender much like white cut chicken.
  • Transfer the chicken to a bowl; if parts fall off in transit, don’t worry. Add cold water to cover the chicken and soak for 10 minutes to cool and prevent drying. Pour off the water, partially cover, and set the chicken aside to cool.
  • Skim some fat from the broth before straining it through a muslin-lined mesh strainer positioned over a medium pot. Discard the solids. You should have about 8 cups. Taste and season the broth with the fish sauce, extra salt, and perhaps a bit of sugar.
  • Use a knife to remove the breast halves and legs from the chicken. Set aside half of the chicken for another use. Reserve the remaining chicken for pho bowl assembly.

Prep and assemble the bowls

  • About 30 minutes before serving, ready the ingredients for the bowls. Soak the noodles in hot tap water until pliable and opaque. Drain, rinse, and drain well.
  • Step 7
  • Cut or tear the chicken breast and leg into pieces about 1⁄4 inch thick. Place the onion, green onion, and cilantro in separate bowls and line them up with the noodles, chicken, and pepper for a pho assembly line.
  • Bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat as you are assembling the bowls. At the same time, fill a pot with water and bring to a rolling boil for the noodles.
  • For each bowl, use a noodle strainer or mesh sieve to dunk a portion of the noodles in the boiling water. When the noodles are soft, 5 to 60 seconds, pull the strainer from the water, shaking it to drain excess water back into the pot. Empty the noodles into a bowl.
  • Top with chicken, then garnish with onion, green onion, cilantro, and pepper and any toppings you want.
  • Check the broth flavor once more, raise the heat, and bring it to a boil. Ladle about 2 cups broth into each bowl. Enjoy immediately.