How inspiring a trip to a random Asian food store can be. I found little cubes of pho bouillon and decided to give it a shot.

4 pho bouillon cubes
8 cups water
1 package Vietnamese meatballs
1 package thin rice noodles
1 package bean sprouts
1 cup cilantro
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/3 cup basil
1 pound tofu
1 jalapeno
a few Tbsp sweet chili sauce

This was a pretty easy make.

I started by making the soup base. I included the pho cubes, the water, meatballs, and cubed tofu in a pot until it was all hot.

In a very large bowl, I put a small handful of rice noodles (uncooked), chopped herbs, 2 slices of jalapeno, and some bean sprouts. Once the stock was hot and boiling away, I poured it over the noodle bowl, ladling on a few meatballs and tofu. The rice noodles were uncooked but they quickly cook in the hot broth. I then poured on a little sweet chili sauce and let it sit for 5 minutes to cool and cook the noodles.

In retrospect, the rice noodles needed a little more cooking. In left overs they were perfect. I would pour in the stock with the rice noodles and re-heat them in the microwave or on the stove top. I only cooked enough noodles for each bowl, because rice noodles don't do well sitting in broth. They will just breakdown and become mush. This reheating process was just enough to cook each new noodle bowl. Perfect.

I was a little hesitant at the pho bouillon cubes, but it all ended up tasting amazing.