Name: Sautéed Salmon with Noodles and Vietnamese Spice Broth
Yield: Makes 6 Main-Course Servings
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: leaves from 1 bunch basil, preferably Thai basil or holy basil, (about 30), torn into small pieces; 2 to 4 tablespoons Thai fish sauce or more to taste (optional); 2 teaspoons black peppercorns; 1 pound (or two 6¾-ounce packages) rice noodles, soba noodles, or vermicelli; ¼ cup lemon juice; 1 clove garlic, crushed and peeled; 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered; 2 tablespoons sugar; leaves from 1 bunch mint, torn into small pieces just before adding; 3 scallions, including greens, sliced thin; leaves from 1 bunch cilantro, left whole; two 2-inch pieces fresh ginger, each cut into about 8 slices (don’t bother peeling); 4 whole cloves; two 2-inch lengths cinnamon stick; 6 whole star anise; 10 cups chicken broth; 1½ tablespoon peanut oil or olive oil for sautéing the salmon; pepper; salt; six 6- to 8-ounce salmon fillets with the skin on or off; 4 Thai or serrano chilies or 6 jalapeño chilies, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine; 4 tablespoons lime juice

Preparation info

Makes
6
Main-Course Servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Simply Salmon

By James Peterson

Published 2001

About

This is a simplified version of the Vietnamese national dish, pho, which contains varying proportions of liquids to solids and can range from what looks like a soup to a bowl of noodles with various condiments. In this version, adapted as a base for sautéed salmon, the emphasis is on the noodles so they can prop up the salmon and keep it from overcooking. In traditional recipes, pho is served with rice noodles, sometimes called rice vermicelli or rice sticks, which are sold in Asian