Hot Pink

This dish isn't pho, but it's from a restaurant called Pho Thaison, just a few blocks from my office.

My former boss introduced me to it, and ever since, it's the only thing I order. I have tried the actual pho at Pho, but only because companions like my sister don't mind sharing.

The Singaporean shrimp consists of three simple ingredients - vermicelli noodles, shrimp and broccoli. The noodles are served plain and warm in a bowl. The shrimp and broccoli come on a separate plate - and they are drowning in spicy red chili oil with bits of scallion floating throughout. I have a very simple method that involves pouring my red hot chili oil shrimp and broccoli into the bowl of warm noodles. I make sure I scrape off every last bit of chili oil and chili bits. (I guess technically all that chili oil qualifies are a fourth ingredient.)


What you end up with is a big plate of hot pink food. (The color is hot pink, and it's spicy hot, too.) It isn't a pretty sight. But it's crunchy and soft and silky and so-very-spicy-yummy. And not all that bad for you if you discount all that oil.