Serves 6

Charles Phan, author of “Vietnamese Home Cooking” and chef-owner of The Slanted Door restaurants in San Francisco, makes the chicken for his chicken pho in an unusual way. He simmers the poultry for 15 minutes, lets it sit covered for 15 minutes, then plunges it into ice water for 15 minutes more. The result is very creamy meat. Get the stock cooking and shred the cooked chicken and chop garnishes while you wait.