Shiitake Pho

I keep reminiscing the Pho we enjoyed at a resort in Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam. What was memorable was that the greens came straight from the herb garden in the resort. So I tried making my own no-meat version from scratch today. 

1) Char a slice of ginger, a stick of lemon grass, a piece of shallot in a pot

2) Add water, a few table spoons of fish sauce and shiitake balls

3) Bring broth to boil

4) Cook kway teow in a separate pot and run under cold water when done 

5) Put kuah teow in a big bowl and pour broth over 

6) Add Thai basil, cut green chilli and some cut key lime

7) Serve with a saucer of fish sauce and cut green chilli

8) Yum!

This version is not overwhelming in taste. It is a clear broth version that is not greasy and super comforting to enjoy in the morning. The shiitake ball is a great alternative to meat. It gives the broth flavour and texture. 

Love that the basil came straight from the plant. Working towards eventually being able to harvest all these required green ingredients from our own backyard. 

UPDATE:

I have been asked how we maintain our supply of organic Thai Basil as they do deplete quite quickly after each harvest. 

Right now we just maintain one illustrious pot. I hope to not have to keep buying, so I am working hard on propagating these lovelies. 

Each time I harvest about 3-4 inch stalks (average one stalk per person) and after I cut out out the leaves, I pop the stalks in water to root at the window sill. 

Once the roots take shape and I have enough stalks, I intend to pot them in soil. Hopefully the next generation of basil will be in time to maintain our demand for freshness!

In the meanwhile, new shoots are sprouting in the original pot. Yay! 

Our original pot of Thai Basil flourishing along the corridor, with some direct sunlight.

3-4 inch clippings of the basil stalks. For a bowl of Pho, we serve one stalk worth of leaves per pax.

Stripped of leaves and left in water glass to root. We top up water daily and occasionally change the water entirely.

This lot has been left at the sill for about a month. You can vaguely make out heathy roots at the base.

We keep the water glasses by the window sill which is bright, without direct sunlight.

Hope this works!