Charred-Onion Vegetarian Pho

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A deeply savory meat-free pho built the long way: onions and ginger blistered black over an open flame, whole spices toasted until fragrant, then a broth of dried shiitake, daikon and sweet corn simmered until it tastes like it had bones in it all along. Ladled over rice noodles with crisped tofu and a mountain of herbs.

Ingredients

• 2 medium yellow onions, halved through the root
• 4 inch piece fresh ginger, halved lengthwise
• 1 shallot, halved (optional)

• 3 star anise pods
• 1 cinnamon stick (cassia preferred)
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 tsp black peppercorns

• 1 oz dried shiitake mushrooms (about 8–10)
• 1 lb daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
• 2 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 ear sweet corn, cut into 4 rounds (or 1 cup frozen corn)
• 1 Fuji or Gala apple, quartered and cored
• 4 scallions, white parts only (save greens for serving)
• 1 small bunch cilantro stems (leaves reserved for serving)
• 12 cups water
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1.5 tbsp vegetarian fish sauce or additional soy sauce
• 1 oz yellow rock sugar (about 2 tbsp), or 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp mushroom seasoning powder (optional, for extra depth)

• 14 oz extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch slabs
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 14 oz dried flat rice noodles (banh pho), medium width
• 6 oz fresh shiitake or cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 4 oz baby bok choy or napa cabbage, halved

• 2 cups mung bean sprouts
• 1 bunch Thai basil
• 1 handful cilantro leaves
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 2 jalapeños or Thai chiles, thinly sliced
• Hoisin sauce and sriracha, for dipping

Instructions

1. Char the aromatics: set the onion and ginger halves cut-side down directly on a gas burner over medium-high flame (or on a dry cast-iron skillet over high heat) and cook, turning, for 8–12 minutes total until the surfaces are blackened in patches and the kitchen smells sweet and smoky. Don't be shy — you want real black, not golden. Rinse off any loose ash under cold water and scrape away the papery skins.
2. Toast the spices: in a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, fennel, cardamom and peppercorns for 2–3 minutes, shaking constantly, until fragrant and a shade darker. Immediately tip them into a tea ball, spice bag, or a small square of cheesecloth tied with kitchen twine.
3. Rinse the dried shiitakes under cool water, then combine them in a large pot (at least 6 quarts) with the charred onion, ginger, shallot, spice bundle, daikon, carrots, corn, apple, scallion whites, cilantro stems and 12 cups water.
4. Bring just to a boil over high heat, then immediately drop to the barest simmer — a lazy bubble every second or two. Skim any foam from the surface. Simmer uncovered for 60 minutes. Do not let it boil hard; a rolling boil turns vegetable broth cloudy and dulls the spice.
5. Remove and discard the spice bundle after 45 minutes if the broth already tastes strongly of star anise (it should be fragrant, not medicinal). At the 60-minute mark, fish out the softened dried shiitakes, slice them, and reserve for the bowls. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, pressing gently on the daikon to release its sweetness, then discard the solids.
6. Season the broth: stir in the soy sauce, vegetarian fish sauce, rock sugar, salt and mushroom powder. Simmer 5 minutes to dissolve the sugar, then taste and adjust. It should be assertively savory and faintly sweet — slightly saltier than you'd sip on its own, since noodles and herbs will mute it. You should have about 8 cups; add water if reduced further.
7. Crisp the tofu: pat the slabs very dry and season with salt. Heat the oil in a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high and fry the tofu 4–5 minutes per side until deep golden and firm. Transfer to a board and cut into 1/2-inch strips. In the same pan, sauté the fresh mushrooms for 4 minutes until browned; season lightly with salt.
8. Cook the noodles in a separate large pot of boiling water according to package directions, usually 5–7 minutes for dried banh pho, until tender with a slight chew. Drain and rinse briefly under warm water to stop the starch, then divide among four wide bowls. In the last minute, blanch the bok choy in the noodle water for 60–90 seconds.
9. Top each bowl with tofu, sautéed mushrooms, the reserved rehydrated shiitakes, bok choy and sliced scallion greens. Return the broth to a hard boil and ladle 2 cups over each bowl — it must be boiling hot to wilt the herbs and warm the noodles through.
10. Serve immediately with platters of bean sprouts, Thai basil, cilantro, lime wedges and sliced chiles, plus hoisin and sriracha in small dishes on the side for dipping tofu rather than dumping into the broth.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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