Phở – The irresistible Beef Noodle Soup!

So, you have an interest in Phở too? I’m not surprised.  After all, it is a sensational dish. It originated in the North of Vietnam but has truly earned its own worldwide fame, for its unique distinctive fragrance and a taste that is incomparable. An experience with a perfectly cooked Phở is simply unforgettable.

Phở is a delicious, soul-nourishing dish which, in my opinion, can really help you feel better when you’re unwell.  I’m not sure whether that is simply a psychological effect, or the fact that it is quite a nutritious dish that is packed with as much goodness as it is flavour. In my childhood memories, it was either a wonderful treat or a medicinal treatment. Either way, the bowl was always emptied! 

I vividly recall the man who cooked the Phở on a street vendor cart in my street. He made the best Phở.  He was there religiously every day (except Sunday!), and although he only had stools around the cart for about 5 customers (3 on the longer side and one on each of the shorter sides) it didn’t stop people from gathering around, either for some take-away or to wait patiently for a seat.  Yes, people waited around for that bowl of soup, which money and time was well spent on, and I don’t blame them. I think it must have been so good, because walking some distance from home to the cart to eat a bowl when I was unwell took a bit of an effort, but I never minded. 

Over the years my devoted love for this dish has grown from simply enjoying it to learning how to cook it well. I have tasted and tried many different recipes, some simpler than others, and of course, some better than others.  The difference is noticeable in the smell of Phở on its first day. If the Phở is tasty, you should be able to smell that distinctive Phở fragrance wafting from the pot. So far, so good. Next, the taste when you have that very first mouthful. Ah, yes! Then, when you have finished that bowl and have no more room, there is still the desire for more – and that desire continues the next day, like the thought never left your mind!

I have set out below the Phở recipe that I have learnt over the years by looking at different recipes and making some adjustments to produce a dish which reminds me of my fond childhood memories of Phở. 

Personally, I think this is a dish where its true quality is a direct reflection of your love and devotion to it.  Enjoy, and I hope it will leave you with some fond memories.

Homemade Phở recipe

Serves 8 -10

Preparation: About 8 – 10 hours

Tips:

• Preparing this noodle soup can be simplified by using prepacked Phở spices at Step 4;
• The broth can be made and then frozen to use later (as a Polish friend of mine has done and recommended) for that hectic day when you crave Phở but don’t have time for all the preparation;
• Raw beef can be sliced more easily (and thinner) if placed in freezer to harden;
• For Chicken Phở replace the beef bones with chicken frames / whole chicken / chicken Maryland.

The Essential Cooking Utensils:

• Large stockpot (11 L or more)
• Fine mesh skimmer (to skim fat or scum that appear on the surface of the stock, for clear soup)

Ingredients for the Broth:

• Beef bones (2.5 kg marrow/soup bones are best, and already cut into small pieces)
• Beef brisket or beef chuck (1 kg)
• Water (9 L)
• Onions (3 large)
• Ginger (1, 40 g or 10 cm in length)
• Phở spices:
  • Cloves (5 whole)
  • Cinnamon (1 stick)
  • Cardamom (2 whole) – Optional
  • Coriander seeds (3 tbsp)
  • Star Anise (5 whole)
• Salt (4 tbsp)
• Rock sugar (about 1 piece or 40 g)
• White (Chinese) radish (1 whole large, peeled and cut into 10 cm pieces) – Optional for sweet, clear soup
• Coriander roots (thoroughly cleaned and rinsed)

Ingredients for the Bowl

• Beef rump or lean beef (1 kg, raw, very thinly sliced then kept refrigerated)
• Rice noodles for Phở or fresh rice noodles (flat rice noodles, 1-2 packets)
• Spring onions (7-8 stalks, white parts cut into 8 cm long pieces, green parts thinly sliced)
• Coriander (rinsed, chopped into 1 cup)
• Chillies (2, thinly sliced)
• Lemon (1, cut into wedges)
• Thai Basil, Spearmint (rinsed)
• Ground pepper
• Onion (thinly sliced and pickled in vinegar) – Optional
• Thorny coriander (Ngo Gai in Vietnamese) – Optional
• Hoisin Sauce, Fish Sauce – Optional
• Beef balls (pre-cooked and available fresh or frozen from Asian butcher/grocery shop, cut in halves and blanched) – Optional

Cooking – the Phở broth

Step 1 – Wash bones, add them to stockpot and add water to cover bones then bring to boil.  Take bones out and discard this initial round of water for good quality soup, then refill pot with water to cover bones and bring to boil again. Skim the impurities off the surface regularly to keep stock clear, and let it simmer.

Step 2 – Wash the beef brisket or beef chuck and add to stockpot, season with salt and rock sugar.

Step 3 – Preheat oven grill/oven stove/air fryer to 200 degrees Celsius. Place onions, ginger under oven grill/oven stove/air fryer for 10 -15 minutes, or until onion and ginger are charred.  Remember to use tongs to turn them for evenly charred surfaces. Scrape burnt bits off, wash and add these and the coriander roots to the stockpot.

Step 4 – Place cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamom and coriander seeds in a small frying pan and fry over low to medium heat until the fragrance is released into the air.  Turn off heat and allow spices to cool down before placing them in a cheesecloth tied up with kitchen twine or string and add to the stockpot.

Step 5 – Bring stockpot to boil, then lower heat to allow simmering for 45 minutes to 1 hr to cook meat.  Remove meat and rinse under cold water to prevent dryness, then leave to cool before thinly slicing cooked meat. Simmer the stock for at least 3 hours.  Remember to periodically check and skim off any impurities that surface in the stockpot.

Preparing – that bowl of Phở

Step 6 – Place basil, spearmint, bean sprouts and lemon pieces on a plate with cut chilli in a small separate bowl.

Step 7 – Cook/prepare the rice noodles as per packet instructions then divide up into bowls (you can make approximately 4-5 portions per packet.

Step 8 – Arrange the sliced cooked beef and raw sliced beef (and add beef balls as desired) on top of the noodles, add sliced onion, spring onion (both white and green parts) before adding hot boiling broth to the bowl.  Garnish with coriander and add freshly ground pepper.

Step 9 – Add the basil, spearmint, bean sprouts, lemon and cut chilli to your heart’s content (I do!). For me, the Hoisin sauce (which does contain flavour enhancer labelled as E621 and known as MSG) and chilli sauce complete the picture.

The saying “You Live to Eat” couldn’t be more true for this dish – when made with love!

Bon Appétit!

Senses Satisfaction Rating (out of 5 stars)

What makes the best Phở? I think an irresistible bowl of Phở is one that leads me there primarily by my sense of smell with a steamy, aromatic, hot clear soup, then visually satisfies with a well arranged and generous bowl, which I will devour (of course, as ladylike as I can be) to satisfy the wait and sense of longing.

Given it is the queen of all noodles, in my book its ratings for senses satisfaction are:

Smell – 5 out of 5 stars

Taste – 5 out of 5 stars

Sight – 5 out of 5 stars