[Sca-cooks] TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A BROTH

[Patrick McKinnion]

On 4/17/03 5:22 PM, "Darren Gasser" <kaos at earthlink.net>  sat on a tribble,
which squeaked:

> Mmm.  Haven't had that.  Do you have a recipe for Pho Ga?  I love Pho, but
> we tend to do much more poultry than beef at home and I don't do much
> Vietnamese as a result.

    Here's the recipe I started out with.   Can't remember where I
originally got it though.

Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup (Pho Ga)
Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

      1 chicken; (about 3 pounds)  quartered, excess fat removed.
      2 quart water
      2 piece fresh ginger; 3 inch piece
      2 me onions; cut in half
      2 tab fish sauce; 1 to 2 tablespoons
      1 tsp black peppercorns
      1 1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
      1/2 package rice noodles  thin or medium-width
      1 pinch salt
      1 can chicken broth;  14 ounce can defatted, reduced sodium
      2 shallots; thinly sliced and separated into rings
      1 cup fresh cilantro; coarsely chopped
      1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh rau ram (vietnamese coriander) or fresh
mint
      2 limes; cut into wedges

Instructions

Rinse chicken, including heart, neck and giblets. (reserve liver for another
use). Place in a large pot. Add 2 quarts water, or enough to just cover
chicken, and bring to a boil over high heat.

As water is heating, scorch 1 piece of ginger and the onion pieces (see note
1 below). Add scorched ginger and onions to soup.

Once water comes to a boil, skim off foam and reduce heat to low. Add 1
tablespoon fish sauce and peppercorns; simmer, partially covered, until the
chicken is cooked, 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove chicken from broth and set aside to cool; slightly. When cool enough
to handle, remove meat from the bones, shred coarsely and set aside; discard
bones, giblets, skin and fatty pieces.

Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and strain into a bowl.
Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. SKim fat
from the surface. (the soup can be prepared ahead to this point. Store the
broth and chicken in separate covered containers in the refrigerator for up
to 2 days. The broth can be frozen for up to 1 month.)

Shortly before serving, bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil. Place
bean spouts in a sieve or colander and immerse in boiling water for 20 to 30
seconds. Rinse with cold water; set aside to drain. Bring water back to a
boil and drop in rice noodles. Cook just until softened but not mushy, 30
seconds to 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside.

Scorch remaining piece of ginger, then coarsely chop. Place scorched ginger
and salt in a mortar and pestle or food processor and work into a paste. Set
aside.

Place homemade and canned broth in a pot and heat to simmering. Season with
additional fish sauce e, if desired.

Divide noodles among 4 large soup bowls. Distribute bean sprouts over
noodles; top with chicken and shallots. Ladle hot broth over; add a dollop
of the reserved ginger paste. Sprinkle with cilantro and rau ram (or mint).
Serve at once, with small plates of remaining shallots and herbs, a small
bowl of remaining ginger paste and lime wedges, so guests can adjust
flavorings as they wish.

NOTE 1 -- To scorch ginger and onion -- If you have a gas burner, use tongs
to hold ginger and onion pieces in the flame until charred. If you have an
electric burner, heat a dry heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat.

Add ginger and onion pieces and turn until blackened on all sides.

From: Irene DiGiuseppe
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Per serving: 1089 Calories (kcal); 60g Total Fat; (50% calories from fat);
68g Protein; 66g Carbohydrate; 341mg Cholesterol; 514mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 3 1/2 Grain(Starch); 9 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 6
1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES : Recipe by Jeffrey Alford & Naomi Duguid

    - Padraig o Connell


Watership Down You've read the book. You've seen the movie. NOW... Eat the
stew!
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