Indio, California: Before I delve into what should have been a lovely Vietnamese soup recipe, I must show you what I did with the leftover polenta from last night's osso buco. Last evening, I placed the spare polenta in a small round oiled dish and set it in the fridge. It firms-up and can be sliced, fried in olive oil and served as a lovely appetizer or luncheon main course. Fried polenta is also awesome served under any meaty sauce.

Or hungery, if you are an Oregon State football fan:

after Thanksgiving. Oregon won. You just can't make this stuff up.
Today's Lesson: On this little website, I have a goal of providing recipes that can be easily prepared in a RV kitchen. And the ingredients must be familiar and procurable in Boise and Minneapolis and San Antonio. Tasteful nutrition, with few pots to wash. Recipes in this mode are also welcome in a home kitchen. Real food for real people with real lives.
So this post was supposed to be about the amazing Pho Ga - Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup - I have been making in my crockpot. But sadly, I am just having a very tough time procuring the proper rice noodles - Banh Pho - in the Coachella Valley, so this post is about a delicious broth I made that should have gone over fresh Banh Pho rice noodles, but couldn't. And you probably can't either, unless you live in a community with a great Asian grocer, which I hope you do. The girls working at the nail salon I patronize in La Quinta are Vietnamese, so I asked them where they buy Banh Pho noodles.
Los Angeles.
Living in Portland, Oregon has spoiled me quite a bit, and I forget we are spoiled until I am away from home and need something like fresh rice noodles. There is a decent Asian grocer practically on every corner in Portland, and the Portland Metro area also has several Wal-Mart-sized Asian "chain" grocery stores. Not the same story in Palm Springs. Here you will find massive Mexican grocers. If you want fresh dates, amazing chilies, tree-ripe citrus and perfect street tacos, this is the place. You all know this is why we RV - we are eating (and jogging) our way around America.
This morning I put the ingredients for Pho Ga (pronounced fuh gah), in the crockpot: 2 inch piece of peeled and chopped ginger, 3 cloves minced garlic, 3 peeled and sliced shallots, 1 chopped Serrano or Thai chili, 2 pieces of star anise, one tablespoon coriander seed, large handful of fresh cilantro, a quart of organic chicken stock and two (boneless, skinless) organic chicken breasts.

If you can find fresh rice noodles...




And copious amounts of super spicy chili sauce is a must!

Until my next update, I remain, your "I've lost my noodle" correspondent.
A few links on this subject:
Loving Pho: All you ever need to know about banh pho (noodles).
Viet World Kitchen: History of Pho.
Uwajimaya: A NW Japanese grocer, that covers the world of food.
H-Mart: Nation-wide Asian supermarket chain; emphasis on Korean foods.