Now, you’ve got plenty of room to play with the flavor profile of pho. One flavor profile that can be easily managed is coconut chicken pho. Although you’ll have to make a visit to an Asian market to grab some crispy onions and spicy chili crisp, other ingredients that are readily available include Thai basil, cucumber, and avocado. As you’ll find in preparing your pho, there’s a lot to do. Chicken needs to be cooked in boiling water for over an hour, moving in the appropriate ingredients one-at-a-time and at various intervals. Should you mix up what to put in when, that greatly affects the flavor profile so whatever recipe you’re sticking with, don’t deviate!
For something more classic Vietnamese, you can use ingredients like enoki mushrooms and kale which are rich in fiber. Add in some ginger and Thai basil, alongside some carrot ribbons, and you’ll have a really colorful dish on your hands. Presentation is also something very important to making pho like a professional so do keep this in mind when preparing yours.
Although we recommend sticking to recipe as close as possible, in some cases, a recipe may include substitutions which can be made. For example, instead of white rice noodles, in some cases you can substitute brown rice noodles which will help increase a pho’s fiber. You also may be able to throw in some veggies like broccoli or spinach for added color, or drop in pieces of a boiled or fried egg for an extra kick of protein.
If you’re making pho for a vegetarian or vegan, we recommend finding a vegetarian-specific recipe rather than trying to substitute. As mentioned, substitutes can change the consistency or flavor. Therefore, a chef’s best bet is to go with a veggie-specific pho recipe, using tofu. Vegetarian pho recipes are usually split between non-spicy and spicy options.
An example of a spicy vegetarian pho includes seasoned tofu – think sesame oil, tamari, a sweetener of some kind akin to maple syrup, and sriracha or chili sauce. The rest of your vegetarian pho recipe can stick to the basics of broth, rice noodles, minced garlic, fresh ginger, anise, cinnamon sticks, chopped onions, carrots, tamari, and more.
All in all, pho’s a great dish to prepare during the frigid winter months. If you don’t wish to prepare it on your own and want to grab a friend to enjoy a great meal with out on the town, join us at Toronto Pho. The best pho in Toronto can be found at Toronto Pho – with locations at 2109 Jane Street in Toronto, 1070 Stone Church Road East in Hamilton, and 2473 Dufferin Street in Toronto. Visit anytime!
