Vietnamese Pho

Rainy day like this reminds me driving up to Buford highway with friends just to eat Pho.  It’s the Vietnamese signature dish made up of clear broth simmered for many hours. I was first introduced by my Vietnamese neighbors, since then have been trying cooking varieties of Pho recipes. Looking for some authentic ones, I guess I finally mastered J even though I am not Vietnamese.  The broth can be prepared any time before you eat as it is time consuming and rest of the ingredients can be put just before we eat. So I started cooking in the morning. The appealing part of the dish is veggies and noodles won’t go soggy nor is the meat stiff and overcooked.  For those who don’t eat beef, it can be substituted with chicken but the chicken must be cooked properly unlike beef. The dish is so good, comfy and warm. Yes I am eating as of writing now; I am going to pack later for work.

Time: 3 hours and 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Pho noodles (14ounces)

Pho broth

4 pounds beef bottom roast thinly sliced

Garnishments

Pho broth

6 quarts of water

3 pounds pork neck bone with meat

2 onions cut and peeled in half

5 slices of fresh ginger

1 ½ tablespoon salt

4 cardamoms

1 teaspoon of fennel seeds

1 teaspoon of cloves

1 teaspoon of cumin

½ cup of fish sauce

Garnishment

Bean sprouts

Lemon wedges

Cilantro

Thai Basil

Chili pepper sliced

Chili paste sauce/ hoisin sauce/ sirachau sauce

Directions:

1.     For Pho broth, bring 6 quarts of water into a big pot to boiling. Add pork neck bones, onions cut in halves, ginger, fish sauce, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds, cumin powder and fish sauce. Simmer in in medium heat for three hours.  Strain the stock and use broth only. It can be stored overnight or use immediately.

2.      Cook the pho noodles according to direction in the packet.

3.     For preparation of pho bowl. Put cooked pho noodles in a bowl, thinly sliced beef bottom roast and pour a hot pho broth on top of it. The hot broth will help to cook the meat. And garnish the bowl according to your needs. Enjoy!!!