Pho Ga

Me:  a friend of mine is looking for a recipe for Pho.  I know it can be made with chicken.

 

ChatGPT: let’s make Pho Gà doable with what you can grab at Sobeys or Superstore in Yarmouth.

You don’t need a specialty Asian market — here’s how to adapt it. 😄🍜

🛒 Nova Scotia Grocery-Friendly Substitutions

🐔 Chicken

Ideal: Whole chicken

Easy Option:

2–3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

OR

1 rotisserie chicken + 1 carton low-sodium chicken broth

👉 Thighs give richer flavor than breasts.

🧂 Fish Sauce

Look for: Thai Kitchen, Blue Dragon, or any small bottle in the international aisle.

If unavailable:

Substitute (not perfect, but works):

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

(Still try to find fish sauce if you can — it’s worth it.)

🌿 Whole Spices

Some stores may not carry black cardamom or fennel. No worries.

Must-have:

Star anise

Cinnamon stick

Cloves

If coriander seeds aren’t available:

Use ½ tsp ground coriander

If no whole spices at all: Use:

½ tsp Chinese 5-spice powder

It won’t be fully traditional but gets you 80% there.

🍜 Rice Noodles

Look in:

International aisle

Sometimes gluten-free section

If you absolutely can’t find them:

Use thin rice vermicelli

Or in a pinch, thin spaghetti (not traditional, but works in an emergency)

🌿 Thai Basil

Hard to find sometimes.

Substitute:

Regular fresh basil

Or even a little fresh parsley + mint combo

🌱 Bean Sprouts

If unavailable:

Thinly sliced cabbage

Or just skip — pho is flexible at home

🍋 Lime

If limes are expensive or hard to find:

Lemon works just fine

🍁 “Maritime Pantry Pho” Version

If you wanted to make this using very normal pantry stuff:

Chicken thighs

Store-bought chicken broth

Onion

Ginger

Cinnamon stick

Ground coriander

Soy sauce

Rice noodles

Fresh basil

Lemon

You’ll still end up with a very comforting bowl. 🍜

FYI, I live at the other end of Nova Scotia. I live in North Sydney.

Ahhh — North Sydney! 🍁⚓ Cape Breton changes the grocery game a little!

Thanks for the correction 😄

Up your way, you’ve got:

🛒 Sobeys (Commercial Street)

🛒 Superstore in Sydney River

🛒 Walmart

And sometimes smaller local shops with surprisingly good international sections

Good news? You can absolutely make solid pho up there.

👍 What You’ll Likely Find Easily

Whole chicken or thighs

Fresh ginger

Onions

Rice noodles (Superstore almost always has them)

Fish sauce (international aisle at Superstore/Sobeys)

Star anise & cinnamon sticks

🤏 What Might Be Hit or Miss

Thai basil (regular basil works perfectly)

Bean sprouts (sometimes available, sometimes not)

Black cardamom (very unlikely — skip it)

Honestly, with Superstore in North Sydney, you’re in better shape than a lot of rural spots.

If you’d like, I can tailor a “North Sydney Superstore exact shopping list” version so you can grab everything in one run. 🍜