Pho with seared tofu and kale

Ingredients
Serves 4 persons

4 table spoon of sesame oil
2 garlic gloves, thinly chopped
Approx. 1 inch of chopped fresh ginger root
4 stalks of chopped lemon grass (hard leaves removed, just the pale yellow tender part),
½ teaspoon of crushed chili pepper (optional)
2 X 32 once of chicken stock
Hoisin sauce, approx. 2 table spoon (or to taste)
Soy sauce, approx. 3 table spoon (or to taste)
Lime juice, approx. 3 table spoon (or to taste)
½ lb Pho rice noodles
12 once of tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes and seared in sesame oil with cilantro, garlic, red crushed chile pepper, salt and pepper until nice and gold
2 cups of kale, cut thinly and sauteed with crushed garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes or until just wilted.

Garnish with:
Fresh bean sprouts
Fresh Cilantro
Fresh Basil
Green Onions


Directions
Heat sesame oil under medium-low heat; add garlic, ginger, lemon grass and chili pepper. Reduce heat to low and sautéed for approx 10 minutes (you want to flavor the oil and not burn it, so keep the heat low after ingredients are added). Add chicken stock, season with hoisin sauce, soy sauce and lime juice. In a separate pot boil rice noodles according to package instructions or until tender. When noodles are cooked, cool them under cold water, add a little bit of sesame oil and stir so they don’t stick to each other. Set aside. To assemble the soup, place rice noodles in a large soup bowl, put tofu and kale on top, add flavored stock till ¾ full. Garnish with bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, green onions and a piece of lime.