I find this time of year to be a bit of a paradox. On one hand, the light is changing, the days grow a little shorter, and the song of crickets in the evening reminds us cooler temperatures are just around the corner. But on the other hand, these end days of summer are still languid and warm - though we may want to pull out our Autumn sweaters and boots, the temperature reminds us that shorts and t-shirts are still the better option.
The same applies to food. Around this time every year, I begin thinking about soups and stews, casseroles, and comfort but with the heat of the day, it doesn't make sense to prepare food that will stick to the ribs and warm the soul because it's still so warm out.
That's where today's soup comes in.
Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, rice noodles called bánh phở, seasonings, and meat. Pho is a popular street food in Vietnam and the specialty of a number of restaurant chains around the world. It is primarily served with either beef or chicken.
My version is made with chicken breast meat and is seasoned to perfection with a finishing taste of lime and cilantro to brighten the deep Asian inspired flavours in the broth - making the soup a perfect metaphor for the tail end of summer. It's warmth and depth would sustain us on even the coldest of days, but the brightness of the lime and cilantro remind us that the sun is still out.
In the end, though, none of that matters except for on thing: Is this soup "SLURPALICIOUS?"
And the answer, my friends, is a resounding YES!!!! If you love Asian flavours as much as I do, this is a soup you will be making again and again!
Visit the printable recipe here: Chicken Pho with Bok Choy
Or cook along with me in the Kitchen Witch Cottage and I'll show you how easy it is to make this delicious soup!
Ingredients
Lyndsay Wells is a professional trainer, writer, and program developer with a passion for food and cooking. She is an award winning recipe developer, and a website ambassador for Kraft Foods Canada. Lyndsay believes cooking should be approachable and easy and has great tips and ideas for putting together sophisticated looking dishes that cooks of all levels can accomplish.
Visit her on her blog, The Kitchen Witch or on her YouTube Channel where she puts out three new cooking videos each week.
The same applies to food. Around this time every year, I begin thinking about soups and stews, casseroles, and comfort but with the heat of the day, it doesn't make sense to prepare food that will stick to the ribs and warm the soul because it's still so warm out.
That's where today's soup comes in.
My version is made with chicken breast meat and is seasoned to perfection with a finishing taste of lime and cilantro to brighten the deep Asian inspired flavours in the broth - making the soup a perfect metaphor for the tail end of summer. It's warmth and depth would sustain us on even the coldest of days, but the brightness of the lime and cilantro remind us that the sun is still out.
In the end, though, none of that matters except for on thing: Is this soup "SLURPALICIOUS?"
And the answer, my friends, is a resounding YES!!!! If you love Asian flavours as much as I do, this is a soup you will be making again and again!
Visit the printable recipe here: Chicken Pho with Bok Choy
Or cook along with me in the Kitchen Witch Cottage and I'll show you how easy it is to make this delicious soup!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced carrot
- 4 cups chopped baby bok choy (stems and greens separated)
- 1/2 pounds chicken tenders cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 8 sliced button mushrooms
- 10 cups low or no sodium chicken stock
- 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Siracha chile sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- juice from 1 fresh lime
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 8 ounces Thai Rice Noodles
- In a large soup pot or Dutch Oven saute the onion, celery, carrot, and baby bok choy stems (the white parts) in the oil over medium high heat just until the onions begin to soften.
- Add the chicken and continue to saute, stirring often and moving the vegetables aside so that the chicken begins to brown, add the mushrooms and let them begin to soften. (Adjust your heat to medium if the pan gets too hot)
- Add the chicken stock, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate all the flavour into the soup.
- Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, fresh ginger, rice wine vinegar, Siracha chile sauce, and sesame oil and bring to the boil.
- Cover, reduce heat, and continue cooking at a simmering boil for 45 minutes.
- While the soup is simmering put another large pot of water on to boil. Add the rice noodles and boil for about a minute and a half and then immediately immerse in ice water.
- Add the baby bok choy greens, lime, and cilantro and stir until they are wilted into the soup.
- Place a handful each of the cooked noodles into large bowls and top with the soup.
Lyndsay Wells is a professional trainer, writer, and program developer with a passion for food and cooking. She is an award winning recipe developer, and a website ambassador for Kraft Foods Canada. Lyndsay believes cooking should be approachable and easy and has great tips and ideas for putting together sophisticated looking dishes that cooks of all levels can accomplish.
Visit her on her blog, The Kitchen Witch or on her YouTube Channel where she puts out three new cooking videos each week.
Comments
Post a Comment