7cupswater, I like to do a mixture of vegetable broth and water
1stalklemongrass, cut into 4 parts - reserve one part for your marinade
1mediumcarrot
1star anise
1smallcinnamon stick
⅓cuptamari, or shoyu
¼¼cupcilantro stems, yes, just the stems
salt, to taste
Optional Toppings:
scallions
cilantro, roughly chopped
mung bean sprouts, rinsed
jalapeno, thinly sliced
lime, sliced
A few sprigs of Thai basil
hoisin sauce
sriracha sauce
fish sauce or vegan fish sauce
tamari
chili oil sauce
Equipment
Large Pot or Dutch Oven
sheet pan
Instructions
Marinate the tofu:
Lay the tofu out on shallow dish and pour tamari and oil over them. Allow them to marinate for 15 to 30 minutes, flipping them over halfway through the time.
Bake the veggies:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Place the onion, garlic, and ginger on a small sheet pan and drizzle the with a little oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until you have a nice char on the edges of them. Set them to the side once done.
Prepare the broth:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, place all of the ingredients in along with the baked onion, garlic, and ginger and bring to a boil. Simmer covered over medium-low heat for 30 to 45 minutes. Taste and add salt, if needed. Strain your broth into another big pot/container and discard or compost all of the other ingredients, leaving you with a pot of rich broth. Then add the broth back into your pot along with the mushrooms and heat for another 5 minutes or so.
Cook the tofu:
About 15 minutes before your broth is ready, start cooking the tofu. Using a stove top grill, grill the tofu for a few minutes on each side or until you have nice grill marks. You can also pan sear them in a skillet, if you choose for a few minutes on each side, with a little sesame oil. (Baking is also an option if you want, 400 degrees for 30 minutes flipping halfway through.) Transfer to a plate and set to the side once done.
Prepare the rice noodles:
In a separate pot, boil your rice noodles according to the package, 5 minutes before everything is done.
Serve:
Order for your pho: a serving of rice noodles, sprouts, broth, tofu, green onions, cilantro, thai basil, lime (squeezed). And top with any other additional toppings, if using.