How to make the best Pho!

 If you are here, you are probably craving this delicious Vietnamese dish, and I cannot blame you. It is nutritious, light, and more importantly, healthy! But in order to make it right, you need to know the basics - what makes it really a Pho.

The secret to a great Pho is firstly choosing your bones. For this part, I would definitely recommend using an oxtail but other marrow bone soups are good as well, it all depends on taste. Secondly, and this is an important one, choose your spices. Pho is a heavily spiced soup so making exceptions would be straying from the traditional dish!

Ingredients needed for the soup:

  • Oxtail - 1 lb

  • Medium onion charred - ½

  • Ginger that is halved lengthwise but also charred - 2 oz 

  • 8 cups of water (about 3" in size)

Pho spice mix:

  • A cinnamon stick

  • 5-star anise

  • Peppercorns - ½ tsp

  • Cloves - ½ tsp

  • Coriander seeds - ½ tsp

  • Fennel seeds - ½ tsp

  • 5 cardamom pods

  • Cumin seeds - ½ tsp

For the assembly:

  • Thinly sliced sirloin - 1lb

  • Brisket - 1lb

  • Soy sauce or fish sauce - 2 tbsp

  • Sea salt to taste

  • Sugar to taste (usually 2tbsp)

  • Fresh or dried Pho noodles - 4 portions

For the toppings:

  • Bean sprouts - 1 cup

  • Thai Basil - 4 springs

  • Lime wedges - 4

  • Cilantro - 4 springs

Day 1 - Preparing the Pho soup:

  1. Boil the bones for about 5 minutes to clean impurities, and make sure to use a small pot to blanch the meat. Tip: use tongues to transfer from one pot to another larger one for the soup.

  2. Firstly char the ginger and onions (you can use a blowtorch) then simmer them with the oxtail on low heat for about 3 and a half hours. Keep adding water occasionally to make sure the bones are covered.

  3. Toast the rest of the spices on low heat. Do this to the point when they become fragrant.

  4. Add them along with the brisket to the pot (on the 3 and a half hour mark) and then leave them to simmer for about 2 hours.

Day 2 - Assembling your Pho:

  1. Cook your noodles and heat the bowls so the soup can absorb more heat. You can use hot water for this part. In the meantime, warm the soup and prep your toppings. Once the noodles are boiled, put them in the bowls.

  2. Next, slice your meat - about ⅛ inch in thickness. Place them in the bowls on top of the noodles and slowly with a ladle, pour the heated soup over them.

  3. Top according to taste, and voila! It is done!

Loved this recipe? Browse my blogs for other amazing dishes that are simply a chef’s kiss!

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