Citrus and herb Vietnamese Pho

Citrus and herb pho

Ingredients: Serves 4

1 pack rice noodles or buckwheat noodles or make your own egg noodles

1 green zucchini/courgette - peeled into thin strips with a veg peeler

1 carrot, skinned then peeled into thin strips

1 small sweet potato, as above

1 bunch spring onions, roughly shredded

1 bunch each of cilantro/coriander leaf, mint, Thai basil or basil, flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Handful baby spinach, roughly chopped

3 limes, 2 halved, 1 cut into quarters

1 orange

1/2 grapefruit

1 thumb sized piece root ginger, peeled

1-2 jalapeños (depending on desired heat)

2 banana shallot, sliced in half lengthwise 

1 tsp each of coriander seed, cumin seed, black onion seed, black sesame seed, ground turmeric 

Sea salt

1 vegetable stock cube

2 liters water

2 tbsp canola/rapeseed oil

Method:

Heat a dry saucepan to medium.

Slice 2 limes and the orange in half.

Char the grapefruit, orange, limes, ginger, jalapeños and shallots in the pan until their bases are blackened.

Add the canola/rapeseed oil and spices and cook for 2 minutes.

With a wooden spoon, squeeze the juice out of the fruit.

Allow to cook for 2 minutes.

Add the water, stock cube and 1 tsp sea salt and bring to a simmer.

Taste and season if necessary.

Remove the fruit, shallots, ginger and jalapeños, allow to cool, shred the vegetables, add to the pot and squeeze any remaining juice into the broth.

Bring to a boil then add the noodles and vegetables

Reduce to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes max.

Divide between 4 bowls, top with chopped herbs, spinach, spring onion and lime quarters.

You can make the broth in advance and in large quantities and store in the fridge or freezer.

The broth will keep in the fridge for 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.