HOMEMADE INSTANT NOODLE MIX SERIES: INSTANT PHO BO MIX

Ingredients

INSTANT PHO BO MIX:
• 4 cups (950 grams) store-bought premium low sodium beef broth (see note *)
• 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
• 1" (20 grams) peeled ginger, sliced
• 1 tsp Lee Kum Kee shrimp paste
• 2 star anise
• 8 whole cloves
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 tsp ground fennel
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 lemongrass, roughly cut
• 1/4 cup +2 tbsp (90 grams) fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp light brown sugar
• 2 tsp MSG, optional (see note **)
TO ASSEMBLE (for each serving):
• 2 cups store-bought premium low sodium beef broth (see note *)
• 3 1/2 tbsp instant pho bo mix (see note ***)
• Fish sauce to season
• Rice vermicelli, blanched before using
• Thinly sliced beef, beef balls, and any other topping of your choice to serve
• Thinly sliced onions, scallion, bean sprouts, fresh mints, fresh Thai basil, lemon wedges to serve
• Sriracha and hoisin sauce to serve.

Instructions

1. In a wide and deep skillet, bring 4 cups of beef broth to a boil over high heat, and continue to cook until it is reduced down to 1 cup, about 15 to 20 minutes. The reason why we want to use a skillet instead of a pot is because the wide surface area will help the evaporation go much faster.
2. Meanwhile, place a baking rack directly on top of the stove and turn the flame to high. Toast the quartered onion and ginger until they are thoroughly charred on the surfaces and edges. Remove the ginger first, then smear the shrimp paste on the surfaces of the onion, and toast again for the paste is blistered and dry, about 30 seconds. Transfer all of it into a blender and set aside.
3. In a small skillet, dry-toast star anise, whole cloves and peppercorns over medium-low heat, until it starts to smoke and the peppercorns start to pop. Remove the skillet from the heat, and add ground fennel, ground coriander, ground cinnamon and ground white pepper, and return to the heat. Stirring diligently, and dry-toast just for a few seconds more until fragrant. Transfer immediately into the same blender.
4. Add lemongrass, fish sauce, light brown sugar and MSG into the same blender. Then add the reduced beef broth. Blend on high for 2 full minutes until smoothly pureed. Transfer into an air-tight jar and keep in the fridge until needed. Can be kept for up to 1 month in the fridge. Mix before using.
5. You can also divide the mix into ice-cube moulds then freeze them.
6. TO ASSEMBLE (for one serving): In a small pot, simmer beef broth and instant pho bo mix together for 2 minutes, then strain the broth through a fine sieve (the finer the sieve the cleaner the broth). Press on the solids to extract as much broth as you can, then discard the solids. Taste the broth and re-season with more fish sauce if needed. Now you cook whatever toppings in this broth, let it be sliced beef, beef balls or etc. Pour the broth over the rice vermicelli, then top of thinly sliced onion, scallions, mint and basils, then serve immediately with a wedge of lime or lemon. Dip in Sriracha and hoisin sauce if desired.

Notes