Pressure Cooker Chicken Pho
Andrea Nguyen, author of The Pho Cookbook (Ten Speed Press; $20) and several other groundbreaking books about Asian food, loves her 6-qt. Fagor Duo pressure cooker ($67; amazon.com) to make pho, the national soup of Vietnam. "It's not too expensive, and it's easy to use--no jiggling valves or dials." That said, you can also make this recipe in a stockpot (see "Stockpot Pho," below); just allow more time. If you're serving more than four people, recruit some helpers to put together the bowls, assembly-line style, so the soup doesn't get cold.
Gallery
Recipe Summary
Ingredients
Directions
Chef's Notes
Stockpot Pho
"Using a pressure cooker gives you velvety, round flavors--like cashmere. A stockpot makes soup that's more like shantung silk; you get more hills and valleys in the flavors," Nguyen says.
1. Follow steps 1 and 2 of recipe above, but use a 6- to 8-qt. stockpot and add 10 cups water (rather than 8) to pot. Partially cover, then bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Uncover, skim off scum, then lower heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, 45 minutes; turn chicken over and cook 45 minutes more, then transfer with tongs to a large bowl (leave any parts that may have fallen off in stockpot to flavor broth). Let broth simmer another 1/2 hour, covered.
3. Meanwhile, soak noodles as directed in step 4 at left, and soak and cool chicken as directed in step 6.
4. When broth is done, proceed with recipe as directed.
Make ahead: Broth, through step 6, 3 days, covered and chilled, or 3 months, frozen (season before serving). Cooked chicken, up to 3 days, chilled, or 3 months, frozen. Rehydrated noodles, up to 1 week, chilled.
*Organic sugar has more of the molasses left in it and thus more flavor; you could also use turbinado sugar. Find the noodles in the international aisle of most grocery stores (often they'll be labeled "pad Thai").
Source
The Pho Cookbook (Ten Speed Press; $20).