First, prepare the phở-soup.
To do this, peel, quarter and core the apple and pear. Peel the carrots, daikon and onion and cut them into 2 cm pieces. Cut the leek in half lengthwise, wash well and also cut into 2 cm pieces.
Pour 3 l of water into a large pot, add prepared fruit and vegetable pieces with dried shiitake mushrooms and 1 tbsp of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for a total of 40-50 minutes with lid on lowest heat.
Clean ginger and shallots, place unpeeled on a grill rack and grill over either a charcoal fire or gas flame until outer skin is blackened. Alternatively, dry roast ginger and shallots in a pan. Then brush thoroughly under lukewarm running water until the black spots are completely removed and add to the soup.
Split the cardamom pod with a heavy kitchen knife. Place in a paper tea filter with the cinnamon and star anise, close with string and hang in the soup. Leave the spices in the soup for a maximum of 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the chowder, carefully (be careful, it breaks easily!) place the tofu skin in lukewarm water.
Heat sufficient frying oil in a deep fryer or deep frying pot to about 180 °C. Pat the firm tofu well dry and deep-fry as a whole in it until golden brown. Then cut into 1 cm pieces.
Drain the mock meat, briefly rinse with warm water.