When it comes to Pho, I'm a complete newbie to the scene. I'd heard about it, and I knew it was a popular Vietnamese soup, but apart from that I couldn't tell you too much about it. But boy, WHERE HAS PHO BEEN ALL MY LIFE.
For newbies like me, here's a little background to the dish:
So all you need to make your own bangin' Pho are a few simple ingredients and if you take the easier route (like I did today) you will have a delish Vietnamese soup Pho you and your friends (I'm sorry, I'm going to try and stop with the Pho puns).
For newbies like me, here's a little background to the dish:
- Pho is a humble soup that originated in Vietnam in the early 20th Century, and is consumed all over Vietnam. In North Vietnam they tend to enjoy this bowl of goodness in the morning and for lunch, where as people in South Vietnam like to eat it allllllll daaaaay long (I can Pho sure see why).
- The dish is made of a few main components; boiling hot broth, flat noodles, super thinly sliced meat (usually chicken or beef) and a few herbs & vegetables. The real flavours lies within that broth, and can be made from scratch if you have the time, or using a good quality stock like I chose to do!
- Pho can vary in flavour dependant on the area you are in, and these changes may be in the sweetness of the broth to the herbs the cook uses. Every Pho is unique and special in it's own little way (is it just me or it starting to sound like a motivational Pho quote orrrr?).
So all you need to make your own bangin' Pho are a few simple ingredients and if you take the easier route (like I did today) you will have a delish Vietnamese soup Pho you and your friends (I'm sorry, I'm going to try and stop with the Pho puns).
I made my Pho based on a recipe from taste.com.au, and it warmed my soul on this cold Auckland day!
All you need to do is the following (serves 2):
All you need to do is the following (serves 2):
- In a pot, bring the following to the boil: 1L good quality beef stock, 1/2 onion thinly sliced, 1 garlic clove thinly sliced, 1cm by 4cm piece of fresh ginger, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 3tbsp fish sauce, juice of half a lime and 1tbsp caster sugar. Once up to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes).
- In a bowl, place 50g of blanched flat rice noodles in the base, and top with thinly sliced* sirloin steak (I used 1/2 a steak per portion), fresh coriander, bean sprouts, along with thinly sliced spring onion and red chilli.
- Strain the broth into another pot and discard the onion etc. Bring to the boil, and once boiled immediately pour over the noodles etc. Use a spoon or chopsticks to stir the Pho together and submerge the meat in the hot broth (this will cook the steak). Then all that is left to do is eat and enjoy!
*TOP TIP: freeze your steak before slicing and it will make it a lot easier to cut as thin as possible (a tip I discovered after cutting my steak, so if you can't freeze the steak just slice as thinly as you are able!).
So for the love of Pho, definitely give this tasty little soup a try! You won't regret it, and to be honest, I am regretting not making more ;)
Enjoy foodies!
Rhi x
Enjoy foodies!
Rhi x
