Pho Seafood Soup with Vermicelli Rice Noodles

     

     I wrote the title of this recipe in plain English language, instead of Vietnamese or Thai.  Most Americans only look for the word pho, when they are looking for an asian style noodle soup recipe.  

     There are no exotic hard to find ingredients in this recipe!  The ingredients can be found in nearly every grocery store.  I just wanted to post a pho soup recipe that requires no searching for exotic asian ingredients, for those that have no asian markets nearby.  I also wanted to keep this recipe simple so the readers do not shy away, because this style of cuisine is so very healthy to eat!  

     The vermicelli rice noodles are called pho in Viet Nam or fo in Thailand.  Pho is pronounced as "phuh" with a short U sound.  

  
     Pho Seafood Soup with Vermicelli Rice Noodles Recipe:
     Cook 1 portion of vermicelli rice noodles in boiling water.
     When the noodles are cooked al dente, cool the noodles under cold running water.
     Drain the water off of the vermicelli rice noodles and set them aside in a small bowl.
     Heat a sauce pot over medium high heat.
     Add 3 cups of light shrimp broth.
     Bring the shrimp broth to a boil.
     Add 1 clove of minced garlic.
     Add 2 teaspoons of minced ginger.
     Add sea salt and white pepper.
     Add 2 thin sliced shiitake mushrooms.  (Use regular buttom mushrooms if no shiitake are available.)
     Add 4 drops of sesame oil.  (optional)
     Add 1 pinch of crushed dried red chile pepper.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of Thai Fish Sauce.  (Thai fish sauce is available at most grocery stores.  Substitute soy sauce if none is available.)
     Add 1 baby bok choy that is cut lengthwise into fourths.  (Add 1 handful of sliced cabbage if no bok choy is available.)
     Add 4 thin slices of daikon radish.  (Substitute turnip or parsnip is no daikon radish is available.)
     Add 1 very small handful of julienne sliced onion.
     When the vegetables just start to become tender, add 5 mussels in their shells.
     Add 6 peeled medium size shrimp.
     Add a 3 to 4 ounce piece of Pacific cod or tilapia filet.
     Do not stir the soup, after adding the seafood!
     The seafood only takes a few minutes to become fully cooked.
     After the seafood becomes fully cooked, add 1 thin sliced green onion.
     Add 5 or 6 snow peas. 
     Ladle the hot soup into a large soup bowl.
     Place the cooked vermicelli rice noodles into the hot broth in the center of the bowl.  (The soup broth will be hot enough to reheat the noodles.)
     Try to arrange the seafood around the vermicelli rice noodles, so the soup looks nice.
     Garnish the soup with 1 large sprig of fresh Thai basil.  (Use regular fresh sweet basil, if no Thai basil is available.)
   
     This soup is cooked quickly with a simple traditional boiling method.  A pho soup is not meant to be simmered.  The broth has a very delicate seafood and vegetable flavor.  The fish sauce adds an interesting depth of umami flavor.  When the Thai basil leaves are stirred into the broth, the fresh basil becomes very aromatic.
     This is a very healthy bowl of pho soup!  Enjoy this soup with chopsticks and a spoon.  Yum!  ...   Shawna