Ang Sarap (A Tagalog word for "It's Delicious")

Now it’s payback time because Ray had invited me to guest post on his blog “Wok with Ray“.  Initially he thought that his comments had paid off, well actually it’s the other way around my comments to his blog are the ones paying off as I was finally invited by one of the most known Filipino food blogger in the States.  When I received his invitation I was stoked and very honoured to be a part of his site, I was tasked to post either a pride dish from in the Philippines, a family favourite or a very memorable dish.  Initially it was a hard choice because Ray’s post and my post combined is already an encyclopaedia of Filipino dishes.  Having said that I can’t think of something Filipino that we both haven’t posted yet so I was left with the two options and chose a family favourite.  So let’s go ahead with our recipe for today, we will be making some Vietnamese.   For the full story and recipe please view my guest post @ Wok with Ray or continue below.

Ingredients (Chicken Soup)

1 kg chicken soup bones
200g minced pork, 50% fat
2 sticks of cinnamon
4 pcs star anise
6 pcs cloves
1 tbsp black peppercorns
4 pcs cardamom pods
1 large white onion, quartered
1 thumb sized ginger, peeled do not slice
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp palm sugar or sweetener of choice
fish sauce
water
oil

Ingredients (Pho)

Banh Pho Noodles (Vietnamese Flat Thin Rice Noodles), cooked according to packet instructions
Bean sprouts
Cooked Chicken, flaked (you can cook this together with the soup)
Spring onions
Crispy fried onions
Hoisin sauce
Red Chillies, sliced
Sriracha chilli sauce
Lemons or Limes, quartered
Black pepper

Method

1. In a stock pot sauté garlic and onion, continue to cook in low heat until onions turn brown.
2. Add cinnamon, star anise, cloves and cardamom pods stir until fragrant.
3. Add sugar and stir until it caramelizes.
4. Add enough water to cover chicken soup bones, bring it to a boil and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hrs. or until chicken bones are soft.
5. Using a sieve, strain the liquid and throw away the bones. Keep it cool and refrigerate overnight.
6. Oil should have settled on top and hardened, remove this. In a separate stock pot add small amount of oil then cook minced pork until brown in colour, add the chicken meat (the ones you will flake for garnishing) and brown it as well on all sides then pour in the soup stock. Bring it to a boil then cook for 30 minutes, season with fish sauce.
7. Place noodles in bowl, top it with chicken meat, spring onions, crispy fried onions, sliced chili and bean sprouts.
8. Pour boiling hot broth over the noodles then serve with lemon, hoisin sauce, sriracha chilli sauce and black pepper on the side