Puerto Rican Style Pho

Ingredients

While the original Vietnamese Pho traditionally uses ingredients like star anise, fish sauce, and rice noodles, our Puerto Rican adaptation infuses the broth with sofrito, adobo seasoning, and replaces the rice noodles with plantain noodles. These modifications add a distinct Puerto Rican flair to the dish, creating a harmonious blend of flavors. We alse have the original recipe for Pho, so you can check it out.

• 2 pounds (900g) beef bones 2 pounds (900g) beef bones
• 1 onion, peeled and halved 1 onion, peeled and halved
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable oil 1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) sofrito 2 tablespoons (30ml) sofrito
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) adobo seasoning 1 tablespoon (15ml) adobo seasoning
• 1 cinnamon stick 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cups (950ml) beef broth 4 cups (950ml) beef broth
• 2 cups (470ml) water 2 cups (470ml) water
• 2 green plantains, peeled and spiralized 2 green plantains, peeled and spiralized
• 1 cup (240ml) sliced beef, cooked 1 cup (240ml) sliced beef, cooked
• Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish) Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
• Lime wedges (for serving) Lime wedges (for serving)
• Sliced jalapenos (for serving) Sliced jalapenos (for serving)
• Bean sprouts (for serving) Bean sprouts (for serving)

Nutrition

• Calories (kcal / KJ): 350 kcal / 1465 KJ
• Fat (total, saturated): 15g, 5g
• Carbohydrates (total, sugars): 25g, 10g
• Protein: 30g
• Fiber: 5g
• Salt: 2g

Preparation

1. 1.
   Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. 2.
   Place the beef bones, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle with vegetable oil and roast for 30 minutes until browned.
3. 3.
   In a large pot, heat the sofrito and adobo seasoning over medium heat for 2 minutes.
4. 4.
   Add the roasted beef bones, onion, and garlic to the pot. Stir in the cinnamon stick, beef broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.
5. 5.
   While the broth simmers, prepare the plantain noodles by spiralizing the green plantains.
6. 6.
   Remove the beef bones from the broth and strain the liquid to remove any solids.
7. 7.
   Return the strained broth to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the plantain noodles and cook for 5 minutes until tender.
8. 8.
   Divide the cooked beef slices among serving bowls. Ladle the hot broth with plantain noodles over the beef.
9. 9.
   Serve the Puerto Rican Style Pho garnished with fresh cilantro, lime wedges, sliced jalapenos, and bean sprouts.

Treat your ingredients with care...

• Beef bones — Roasting the bones before simmering enhances the flavor of the broth.
• Sofrito — Use homemade sofrito for the best flavor, or you can find it in Latin grocery stores.
• Adobo seasoning — Adjust the amount of adobo seasoning according to your taste preference.
• Plantain noodles — Spiralize the green plantains just before adding them to the broth to prevent discoloration.
• Bean sprouts — Rinse the bean sprouts thoroughly before serving to remove any dirt or impurities.

Tips & Tricks

• For a spicier kick, add a few drops of Puerto Rican hot sauce to the broth.
• Customize your toppings by adding sliced avocado, chopped onions, or fresh herbs like mint or basil.
• If you can't find green plantains, you can substitute them with zucchini noodles or rice noodles.
• Make a larger batch of the broth and freeze it in portions for quick and easy meals in the future.
• Experiment with different cuts of beef, such as flank steak or brisket, for varying textures and flavors.

Serving advice

Serve the Puerto Rican Style Pho hot in individual bowls, allowing each person to garnish their own bowl with fresh cilantro, lime wedges, sliced jalapenos, and bean sprouts. Encourage your guests to squeeze the lime juice into the broth for an extra burst of citrus flavor.

Presentation advice

Present the Puerto Rican Style Pho with vibrant colors by arranging the garnishes neatly on a platter alongside the bowls of soup. The contrasting green cilantro, bright lime wedges, and sliced jalapenos will make the dish visually appealing and appetizing.