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When I think about Vietnamese food, the first dish that always pops into my mind is Pho. This beloved soup, with its mix of meat, herbs, and rice noodles soaked in a flavorful broth, truly stands out in the rich landscape of Vietnamese cuisine.
But what makes Pho really special isn’t just its unique taste. It’s also a reflection of Vietnam’s history and culture. Every ingredient has a story to tell about the country’s past and its natural bounty.
That’s why for me, Pho is more than just a dish—it’s the highlight of Vietnamese cuisine.
A Brief History of Pho
The precise history of pho is not clear-cut. Quite often with classic dishes, they tend to appear in historical cookbooks in one form or another, with modern incarnations produced along the way.
That being said, there does seem to be a few theories that pop up in quite a few papers and articles that lend itself to be worth discussing.
The geographical origin of pho is undoubtedly northern Vietnam. The place that is most quoted is the town of Van Cu, which lies in the Nam Dinh province, about 100 kilometres from Hanoi.
Andrea Nguyen mentions in her cookbook, The Pho Cookbook, that she believes the dish was developed in Van Cu prior to 1910.
The dish was further refined after becoming popular in Hanoi’s old quarter.
Beef was available in Vietnam at this time although the locals weren’t widely using it to eat. With the French colonisation of Vietnam, they introduced more beef to the country specifically to eat, and it is thought that the left over cuts from beef were added to the broth to form beef pho.
Related: What is Pan-Asian Food? Inside Asia’s Eclectic Food.
Origin of the Name Pho
The origin of the name Pho is also not settled, although there is one theory that stands as tall as any other.
It is thought that the dish was named after the French dish pot au feu, a hearty stew of beef and vegetables, that simply translates to “pot on the fire”, which is exactly how the Pho broth is cooked.
Spread to the South of Vietnam
What is generally agreed though, is that the spread of Pho across Vietnam occurred in 1954, following the agreement to partition the country between the north and the south. Many in the north if Vietnam, including many pho cooks as it turns out, chose to travel to the south before the partition became official.
Once in the south, the northerners found a different food culture and adapted Pho to contain a richer (and sweeter) flavour through the addition of more herbs, spices, and sauces as well as providing additional cuts of meat for variety.
Spreading to the World
Following the end of the Vietnam War many people from the south fled Vietnam to eventually reside in countries such as Canada, Australia, Italy, and the United States.
The culinary result of this re-settlement is that the Pho that the world generally eats today is the sweeter southern version with more accompaniments to the dish.
Recipe: Pho Bo (Vietnamese Noodle Soup with Beef)
Ingredients
- 2kgs (5lb) beef bones
- 800 grams (1.7lb) beef sirloin
- 7cm (3″) piece ginger, peeled and sliced
- 7cm (3″) cinnamon stick, split in 2
- 5 star anise
- 1 white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 spring onion (scallion), thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 80ml fish sauce
- 1kg (2.2lb) flat pho noodles
- 1 or 2 red chillies, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves
- 1/3 cup mint leaves
- 1/3 cup perilla leaves or Thai basil leaves
- 2 limes, quartered
- 1 cup bean sprouts
Instructions
- Place beef bones in large pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil then simmer for at least 3 hours (longer if possible) and keep skimming the fat and scum from the surface.
- Gently fry ginger, cinnamon, and star anise for a few minutes to release the flavours.
- Place ginger, cinnamon, star anise, onion, garlic, and fish sauce into the hot broth for the last 1 hour of cooking
- Prepare flat rice noodles according to packet.
- Drain the pho broth using a fine strainer or cheese cloth, add the spring onion, and keep hot
- Place a serving of noodles into a bowl, top with raw sliced beef sirloin, and pour the broth over the top (this will cook the meat).
- Serve alongside herbs, bean sprouts, chillies, limes, and small bowl of hoisin sauce and chill sauce.
Variations can include using a wider range of beef cuts and using chicken instead of beef to make a chicken pho.
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that looks delicious, very curious about it’s taste.