If you could summarize Vietnam into one dish I would have to say it would be PHO!
This may well be considered Vietnam’s national dish. By the time we left Vietnam I had Pho coming out of my ears. It began with airport Pho, street Pho, room service Pho, fast food Pho (Pho 24), fancy restaurant Pho, midnight alley Pho, beachside pho and breakfast Pho. Anytime of the day and even in 34 degree weather this dish is delicious although it is especially popular as a breakfast meal. I don’t think that I have ever eaten one dish so many times in a three week period. Im not complaining either, after a week away from Vietnam craving another bowl would be an understatement.
Pho may seem like a simple noodle soup but its flavour profile is deceptively complex and deviously delicious. Everything about it makes you want to keep coming back for more from the perfectly cooked rice noodles to the basket of fresh greens and herbs. And of course the star of it all, the broth. Talk about a mountain of flavours served up in a bowl. The burnt onions and ginger that makes it so unique, the star anise, garlic and hours of long stewed meat bones. I mean, what more could you ask for. Its Vietnamese style chicken noodle soup but with attitude.
I have had Pho on many occasions back home in Canada and it was in Vietnamese restaurants cooked by vietnamese chefs but it was western world food.
There is something different to the authentic experience where one comes up to a street side Pho vender. The streets are blazing with traffic in what seems like unorganized chaos, lanes of mopeds weaving frantically through the cars but it seems to all work. This seems strange and chaotic at first but after having a few beers around a bunch of locals and slurping down a monster size bowl of Pho while traffic is zooming by you in all directions is what adds to the experience. Oh and only paying about $30,000 VND or or $1.25 USD is also a nice touch
One of the things I was most taken with while in Asia, food wise, was the amount of flavour each bowl of soup had. The broths were so rich and delicious I was eating it for breakfast, lunch and dinner some days. It gave me an appreciation for eating a hot bowl of soup in the morning. Who knew! Hmmm … Would that compare to oatmeal? I hope not, as if the mot delicious bowl of noodles could compare to a soggy bowl of oats that looked like something you might have eaten the night before. But don’t get me wrong, oatmeal is really good … sometimes. Well, when your on a diet … sometimes.
Why does Asia have to be so far away …
So the other day while I felt the longing for street markets and an Ice cold Chang, to sit on the little street corners and people watching while eating $2.00 bowls of the most delicious food imaginable, I decided it was time to make Pho. Why?
-The Broth: Rich, complex and perfectly balanced
-The Meat: Tender braised short ribs
-The Noodles: Slightly chewy rice noodles and soak up all the flavours of the broth
-The Sides: A basket of fresh herbs and vegetables to cut through the richness of the soup making it feel light and comforting at the same time
-Spicy Peppers: A side of hot peppers in equal parts rice vinegar and fish sauce is a must
One thing that I always regret after making Pho, is that there is never enough. There is not a ton of space on the boat and the space there is seems to always be full! The good news about that is that I am a great organizer so there always seems to be room for new items. But with my soup pot, it seems like there is never enough, which makes me shed tiny tears, as the tiny violin plays quietly in the background. I really would like one of those industrial size ones but then the problem would arise of where to store it all. Rob would come home one day and the fridges would be only Pho Stock.
There are also a few directions you must follow in order to achieve the right flavour, don’t skip them trying to speed the process up. This soup is a small labour of love:
- Charring the Ginger and Onions
- Toasting the Spices
- Long braise on the Meat and Bones (Min. 3 Hours)
- Having Fresh Herbs
Also, if you have the time and can make the soup the day before, leave it in the fridge over night so that you can skim the fat off the top. And if you want a different flavour profile from the regular pho, try substituting some duck carcass instead of the meat bones for the stock and serve with a seared duck breast on top, which by the way is Delicious!
- [br][b]INGREDIENTS SOUP:[/b]
- 5 0z (150g) Dried Rice Stick Noodles (Soaked in hot water till soft)
- 1/2 Pound Beef Steak thinly sliced (Tenderloin, Sirloin or Flank) (Unless using Short Ribs) or Stewed Chicken Thighs or Prawns
- [br][b]GARNISH: (Optional)[/b]
- Wontons
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- 2 Limes (Halved)
- 2 Red Chilis (Sliced)
- 1 White Onion (Thinly Sliced)
- 1-2 Cups Bean Sprouts (Either blanched or left raw)
- Coriander Leaves
- Mint Leaves
- Basil Leaves
- Scallions
- Hoisin Sauce
- Sirracha
- [br][b]BROTH:[/b]
- 1 Yellow onion (Peeled and bruised)
- 2 Inch Piece of Ginger (Bruised)
- 2 Shallots
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 1/2 Daikon Radish (Thickly Sliced) (Optional)
- 2.5 / 3 Pounds Beef Short Ribs / Oxtail
- 10 Cups Water
- 1/4 Cup Fish Sauce (Or to taste)
- 2 Tbl. Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1 Tbl. Sugar (Optional)
- 3 Star Anise (Toasted)
- 1 Cinnamon Stick (Toasted)
- 2 Bay Leaves (Toasted)
- 4 Cloves (Toasted)
- Black Peppercorns (Toasted)
- Salt (To taste)
- Season the beef short ribs generously with Salt and Pepper. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Chinese Five Spice. Set aside
- Toast the spices in the bottom of a large heavy pot over medium high heat until starting to smell warm and fragrant. Set aside in a small bowl
- Next, if you have a gas burner, place the ginger and onion over the flame until dark and charred. Alternatively, toast in a pan until darkened and soft. Once cool, remove the burnt skins
- Return the heavy pot to the stove over medium high heat and add a few tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add the short ribs and brown all over. This will take about 3-4 minutes per side.
- After the short ribs have been browned, add all the remaining broth ingredients and simmer for 1 hour. After 1 hour, taste and adjust the seasonings. (Fish Sauce, Rice Vinegar, Sugar) You want to have a nice balance between them all. One flavour should not be dominating
- Check every hour until the broth feels balanced and the short ribs are fork tender
- Strain the broth removing all the solids and setting the beef ribs aside. Return the stock to the stove if using right away, or cool down and pour into containers to store in the fridge. When storing the beef short ribs over night make sure they are in the cooking liquid or otherwise they will dry out. Skim off the fat when using and bring back to a slow simmer
- Take out the rice noodles and soak them in warm water for 15 minutes or until starting to soften
- Arrange all the fresh herbs and vegetables in a basket and set aside
- Slice the beef short ribs into medium size chunks and add to the simmering stock. Add the noodles and cook until soft but still has some bite. When rice noodles are cooked to long they will turn to mush
- To serve, add the cooked noodles and your choice of protein to a bowl and top with desired toppings
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