Crown Urban Food District: Jenny Lam from Saigon Story Vietnamese restaurant shares recipe for cheat’s pho

To celebrate the opening of her new restaurant Saigon Story at Crown Perth’s Urban Food District, WA restaurateur Jenny Lam shares one of her favourite recipes to help everyday cooks create authentic Vietnamese cuisine at home. Lam, a former MasterChef contestant (she appeared on the 2018 season), author, and the owner of popular Leederville eateries Phat Lon and Bunn Mee, says her latest venture focuses on authentic, “fast-casual” Vietnamese dishes, from banh mi to pho. “I’m fiercely passionate about sharing bold, nostalgic flavours while creating an experience that reflects the energy and diversity of the space,” she says. “Our new offering will push boundaries, celebrate creativity, and leave guests craving their next visit.” Saigon Story joins a diverse range of eateries in the new hospitality precinct, which officially opened in mid-February. They include new branches of local eateries Taco Daddy and Jom Kopitiam, a new hiphop-themed speakeasy, and several international culinary brands making their Australian debut, such as Side Piece Pizza, from Las Vegas, and sushi bar Tekka Bar. Jenny Lam’s cheat’s chicken pho (pho ga) Serves 4 1 brown onion, halved 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, halved 2 cinnamon sticks 1 tbsp coriander seeds 1 tbsp fennel seeds 2 litres good quality chicken stock 1 whole chicken 3 tbsp fish sauce 1 tsp white pepper 400g rice noodles basil, coriander, bean sprouts, lime wedges, sliced chilli, to serve hoisin and sriracha, to serve (optional) Place onion and ginger cut side-down in a hot pan until charred. Once charred, turn off the heat and immediately add all spices into the pan. In a large pot, combine chicken stock, whole chicken and all your aromatics (the onion, ginger and spices). Bring to the boil. Skim off all the floating scum that rises to the top before simmering gently for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken, shred the meat and set aside. Strain the broth and season with fish sauce and white pepper. Cook rice noodles according to packet instructions and divide between bowls. To assemble, top noodles with shredded chicken and fresh herbs. Ladle over the hot broth and serve with bean sprouts, lime and chilli. Add hoisin and sriracha, if you like. Tips: