PHO

What list of Vietnamese cuisine would be complete without pho? It’s most famous vietnamese dish in Vietnam’s major cities. But what many people don’t know is that it is predominantly a breakfast dish in Vietnam. In some parts of the world, breakfast might be a bowl of cold cereal to some. In Vietnam, however, they like to kick-start their day with an aromatic noodle broth, full of flavour and texture to awaken the senses.

Pho is believed to have originated in the north of Vietnam where, like many dishes from the north, it is simple and uncomplicated; a pho bac is often simply noodles, broth, slices of beef and minimal garnish. In the south of Vietnam, however, their pho is more like their people – a bit fancier and more show-offy. They like their bowls to be more generously sized with more texture added to the dish, such as with the inclusion of beef meatballs and tripe, and pimped with bold flavours courtesy of a selection of fresh herbs and chillies.

Many several options for pho as follows:
Pho Tai - Served with very thin slices of raw beef which are lightly cooked by the hot broth in the bowl.
Pho Chin - Served with slices of cook beef brisket which would typically be slow-cooked in the pho broth.
Pho Bo Vien - Served with beef meatballs.

Pho Dac Biet - Dac Biet means “special” or “the works” in Vietnamese, so this version can vary from restaurant to restaurant, but typically includes a combination of all of the above.

Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

Hanoi Pho

Pho originated in north Vietnam, but really proliferated when 1 million refugees fled south when the country was divided in 1954. While in Saigon, pho comes with a plate of basil, sawtooth herb, bean sprouts, lime, chili paste, hoisin sauce. Then in Hanoi, the chopped vegetables are added into a bowl of pho and no accompanying vegetables.

Saigon Pho

How to make beef noodle soup?

If you prefer chicken, you can try my recipe for Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup). It's pretty much the same thing.