Pho

Pho real, yo! This recipe is versatile, easy and a perfect kitchen sink dinner. It takes any veg you want to get rid of; feel free to sneak it in there when the kids aren’t looking.

Take the broth you have made from your roasted chicken and pour about 4 cups into a large pot. In a piece of cheesecloth, tie together:

1 cinnamon stick

5 star anise pods

3 cloves

6 coriander pods

1 stalk of lemongrass, chopped

Float your “tea bag” in the broth and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Splash in a couple dashes of fish sauce and soy sauce. Then turn down and let simmer.

In a separate pot, sautee:

1 package tofu, cubed. (You could totally use chicken here if you wanted)

Let the tofu take a light crust and then add:

1 onion, leek or shallot, sliced

1 knot ginger, sliced

10-15 mushrooms, sliced

(Here is where you sneak in any extra vegetables you want to get rid of)

Sautee until vegetables are cooked. Then cover with your broth, removing the “tea bag”. Add salt to taste.

Prepare 1 package cellophane noodle according to directions. Thinly slice beef, chicken or pork. THIN! I mean it! THIN!

Serve by placing noodles and raw meat in a shallow bowl. Pour the boiling broth over the combination—the heat of the broth will cook the meat. Then top with sliced, raw jalapenos, raw bean sprouts and hot sauce.