VIETNAMESE PHỞ GÀ

I’ve always loved Vietnamese food, but when I travelled to Hanoi last year and had some of the best Asian food I’ve ever tried, I became obsessed.

Chicken phở first came abut in Vietnam around 1939, most likely in Hanoi. The creation is actually linked to government restrictions on beef slaughter, which led some phở restaurants to substitute beef for chicken. Honestly, the history of this dish really captures why I love cooking and experimenting, it’s all about creativity and adaptation.

The new chicken version was criticised by “phở purists,” who said it was inauthentic. Yet despite the backlash, phở gà became popular and is now a staple, backing my belief that while preserving tradition is important, never deviating from it is boring.

Something I do in my kitchen that I think everyone should do: I always buy a whole chicken. Many supermarkets will charge you the same price for two chicken breasts as they will for a whole chicken, so even if I only need to use the breasts, I’ll always buy the whole bird and freeze the rest. This means that every now and then, I’ve built up enough leftover chicken in my freezer to make myself a soup and this one is always one of my go-to’s.

This is fragrant, clean and good for you. Plus, with all the money you’re saving by portioning the chicken yourself, it’s basically free (kinda). That being said, if you’re buying a whole chicken specifically to make this recipe, try to find a good-quality one, it’ll result in a much more flavourful broth.