StacylikesSparkles
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My SO and I are obsessed with Pho...I've also gotten my mom into it. Man, if we weren't having a dinner date for Mediterranean food tonight, I would NEED some Pho! 
Anybody else obssessed with Pho???
- Thread starter PintoBean
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Okie, here you are, my fellow PS'ers. Here's my (mom)'s recipe. I am not a cook that uses things in precise quantities but appreciate it can be hard for anyone who's not made Pho before. So I've tried - to the best of my ability - to quantify the ingredients and make suggestions as to the amounts to use and the time things take. Good luck and let me know how it goes.
PHO RECIPE
(for 6-8 servings)
1 kg = 2lbs roughly
1 litre = 1 quart roughly
Ingredients - for the broth
• 2-3kg of beef bones (any kind including knuckle, leg, oxtails. I prefer not to use bones with marrow since that stuff is too rich!)
• 0.5-1kg of beef (stewing beef, cubed or roughly chopped into larger pieces)
• 0.5-1kg of pork bones / or pork ribs chopped into large pieces
• 3-4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and chopped into half-inch pieces
• fresh ginger (old ginger is better than young ginger) - about the length of one finger and the wide of two finger widths: peeled and sliced into thin pieces
• 1 large white onion – peeled, unsliced but halved
• 1 large white onion – peeled, sliced into small segments and baked/ broiled in the oven (on top of a piece of aluminium foil) until golden brown (but not burnt)
• 5-6 whole star aniseeds
• 6-8 whole cloves
• 2-3 medium-sized cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon of coriander/ cilantro seeds and / or a small bunch of coriander roots (washed but not chopped)
• 0.5 - 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
• 1 kg of flank steak or sirloin steak (I prefer sirloin) – thinly sliced
• 1 TEAspoon of sugar (white or brown is fine, rock sugar is even better)
• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
Condiments – to serve as you eat
• 1 bunch of spring onions – thinly sliced
• Holy or Thai basil leaves
• Coriander/ cilantro leaves – roughly chopped
• Mint leaves
• 1 white onion – very thinly sliced
• Fresh chillies – sliced (optional)
• Fresh high-quality fish sauce (optional - add to taste)
• Chilli sauce (optional – add to taste)
• Hoisin sauce (optional – add to taste)
• Lime wedges (add to taste)
• Fresh beansprouts (add to taste)
• Dry flat rice noodles (2 packets – depending on the weight of each packet but 2 kgs in total should be more than plenty) – soak in COLD water for about 1-2 hours.
• Or fresh flat rice noodles if you can get them. Do NOT soak the fresh noodles.
Cooking Method
1. First, wash all the bones thoroughly and put them in a very large pot (8-10 litre) and cover them with water, almost to the rim (about 2 inches below the rim)
2. Add the sliced ginger, carrots, the halved onion. Do NOT add the golden brown onion yet (as it would become soft and mushy).
3. Put the pot onto the highest setting on your stove, bring it to the boil, turn it down a little and let it boil for about an hour. Skim off all the impurities.
4. Add the star aniseeds, cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorns and coriander seeds/ roots. I’d suggest adding a little at a time, as people’s taste varies and some prefer the broth to be more spicy whereas some prefer it less so (there’s no hard and fast rule and you certainly do not have to use the amounts I’ve listed above).
5. Turn the fire down to medium and continue to boil for another 4-5 hours or until the meat is no longer hard/ tough (but does not have to be soft). REMEMBER to watch the pot throughout all this time and continue adding fresh water into the pot (roughly about 3-4 times) as it will evaporate very quickly. Continue to skim off the fat and scum that float onto the surface.
6. Turn the fire down to low. Add the sugar and fish sauce and the baked golden brown onion segments and continue to simmer for one more hour.
7. At this stage, the broth should be basically done, when the broth goes down to about two-thirds of the pot (ie. the top of the broth is roughly about 3-4 inches away the rim of the pot).
8. Taste the broth and add more fish sauce and/ or a tiny pinch of salt if so desired. You can also leave the fire on simmer for another hour or so (but remember to add more water if the broth becomes too concentrated).
9. Make sure you taste the broth again before you serve it, do add water (if the broth tastes too concentrated) or boil more (if the broth seems too diluted).
10. Remember to take the lid off the pot throughout the cooking process, until the broth is done. Then cover it until you’re ready to serve/ eat; at which time you bring it back to the boil (see below).
Serving Method
• Before you serve, try to take the spices (ie. cloves, star aniseeds, cinnamon etc) out of the broth, as these are not to be eaten and can be bitter if chewed on.
• Also remove the bones and the stewed beef and pork
• Use a medium-sized pot and boil water for the noodles
• Bring the broth back to the boil; at the same time place a handful of noodles onto a “straining-ladle” (ie. one with holes to help the water to escape) or “baskets” (ie. wired baskets with large holes and long handles - you should be able to buy these baskets from your Asian supermarket)
• Very quickly plunge the ladle/ basket containing the noodles into the boiling water for literally 10 secs and no more (if fresh noodles) or 1 min or so until no longer hard but not mushy (if dry but soaked). Take the straining-ladle or basket out, shake off the excess water and put the noodles into a medium-sized bowl. Do this for about 2-3 bowls at a time (if you prepare more than 3 bowls at a time, the noodles will cool down and may get stuck together).
• Line the bowls up. Place the fresh beef slices on top of the noodles. Add sliced spring onions.
• Ensuring the broth is still boiling hard and steaming, ladle the broth onto the bowl. Repeat with the next 1-2 bowls. Serve all immediately.
• Repeat the process (boiling the noodles, ladle the broth onto the bowls etc) & serve immediately.
• The pho should be eaten immediately when served (otherwise the broth will cool down too much and / or noodles become mushy!).
• Add the condiments as per the list above – to taste.
ENJOY!!
)
PHO RECIPE
(for 6-8 servings)
1 kg = 2lbs roughly
1 litre = 1 quart roughly
Ingredients - for the broth
• 2-3kg of beef bones (any kind including knuckle, leg, oxtails. I prefer not to use bones with marrow since that stuff is too rich!)
• 0.5-1kg of beef (stewing beef, cubed or roughly chopped into larger pieces)
• 0.5-1kg of pork bones / or pork ribs chopped into large pieces
• 3-4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and chopped into half-inch pieces
• fresh ginger (old ginger is better than young ginger) - about the length of one finger and the wide of two finger widths: peeled and sliced into thin pieces
• 1 large white onion – peeled, unsliced but halved
• 1 large white onion – peeled, sliced into small segments and baked/ broiled in the oven (on top of a piece of aluminium foil) until golden brown (but not burnt)
• 5-6 whole star aniseeds
• 6-8 whole cloves
• 2-3 medium-sized cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon of coriander/ cilantro seeds and / or a small bunch of coriander roots (washed but not chopped)
• 0.5 - 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
• 1 kg of flank steak or sirloin steak (I prefer sirloin) – thinly sliced
• 1 TEAspoon of sugar (white or brown is fine, rock sugar is even better)
• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
Condiments – to serve as you eat
• 1 bunch of spring onions – thinly sliced
• Holy or Thai basil leaves
• Coriander/ cilantro leaves – roughly chopped
• Mint leaves
• 1 white onion – very thinly sliced
• Fresh chillies – sliced (optional)
• Fresh high-quality fish sauce (optional - add to taste)
• Chilli sauce (optional – add to taste)
• Hoisin sauce (optional – add to taste)
• Lime wedges (add to taste)
• Fresh beansprouts (add to taste)
• Dry flat rice noodles (2 packets – depending on the weight of each packet but 2 kgs in total should be more than plenty) – soak in COLD water for about 1-2 hours.
• Or fresh flat rice noodles if you can get them. Do NOT soak the fresh noodles.
Cooking Method
1. First, wash all the bones thoroughly and put them in a very large pot (8-10 litre) and cover them with water, almost to the rim (about 2 inches below the rim)
2. Add the sliced ginger, carrots, the halved onion. Do NOT add the golden brown onion yet (as it would become soft and mushy).
3. Put the pot onto the highest setting on your stove, bring it to the boil, turn it down a little and let it boil for about an hour. Skim off all the impurities.
4. Add the star aniseeds, cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorns and coriander seeds/ roots. I’d suggest adding a little at a time, as people’s taste varies and some prefer the broth to be more spicy whereas some prefer it less so (there’s no hard and fast rule and you certainly do not have to use the amounts I’ve listed above).
5. Turn the fire down to medium and continue to boil for another 4-5 hours or until the meat is no longer hard/ tough (but does not have to be soft). REMEMBER to watch the pot throughout all this time and continue adding fresh water into the pot (roughly about 3-4 times) as it will evaporate very quickly. Continue to skim off the fat and scum that float onto the surface.
6. Turn the fire down to low. Add the sugar and fish sauce and the baked golden brown onion segments and continue to simmer for one more hour.
7. At this stage, the broth should be basically done, when the broth goes down to about two-thirds of the pot (ie. the top of the broth is roughly about 3-4 inches away the rim of the pot).
8. Taste the broth and add more fish sauce and/ or a tiny pinch of salt if so desired. You can also leave the fire on simmer for another hour or so (but remember to add more water if the broth becomes too concentrated).
9. Make sure you taste the broth again before you serve it, do add water (if the broth tastes too concentrated) or boil more (if the broth seems too diluted).
10. Remember to take the lid off the pot throughout the cooking process, until the broth is done. Then cover it until you’re ready to serve/ eat; at which time you bring it back to the boil (see below).
Serving Method
• Before you serve, try to take the spices (ie. cloves, star aniseeds, cinnamon etc) out of the broth, as these are not to be eaten and can be bitter if chewed on.
• Also remove the bones and the stewed beef and pork
• Use a medium-sized pot and boil water for the noodles
• Bring the broth back to the boil; at the same time place a handful of noodles onto a “straining-ladle” (ie. one with holes to help the water to escape) or “baskets” (ie. wired baskets with large holes and long handles - you should be able to buy these baskets from your Asian supermarket)
• Very quickly plunge the ladle/ basket containing the noodles into the boiling water for literally 10 secs and no more (if fresh noodles) or 1 min or so until no longer hard but not mushy (if dry but soaked). Take the straining-ladle or basket out, shake off the excess water and put the noodles into a medium-sized bowl. Do this for about 2-3 bowls at a time (if you prepare more than 3 bowls at a time, the noodles will cool down and may get stuck together).
• Line the bowls up. Place the fresh beef slices on top of the noodles. Add sliced spring onions.
• Ensuring the broth is still boiling hard and steaming, ladle the broth onto the bowl. Repeat with the next 1-2 bowls. Serve all immediately.
• Repeat the process (boiling the noodles, ladle the broth onto the bowls etc) & serve immediately.
• The pho should be eaten immediately when served (otherwise the broth will cool down too much and / or noodles become mushy!).
• Add the condiments as per the list above – to taste.
ENJOY!!
)
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Just curious how much you all are paying for pho around the us? I'm from SGV in SoCal, where it's cheaper to save your high school lunch money, and go out for a bowl after school with friends. Some places here have them for $4-5/bowl. I always thought it was good cheap food everywhere, until I went somewhere in the OC, where I paid $9 for a bowl! Then Vegas, where it was almost $20!
PHO lovers, there's a place in San Fran that sells HUGE, bigger than your head, sized bowls of pho. They have that, "if you finish it under x amount of time, you eat free" thing. It's alwys been a dream of mine to go and order it. Not necessarily finish it, but just to take a photo with it, and attempt to eat away at it!!
(is anyone else obsessed with ordering lemon/lime soda with your pho?)
PHO lovers, there's a place in San Fran that sells HUGE, bigger than your head, sized bowls of pho. They have that, "if you finish it under x amount of time, you eat free" thing. It's alwys been a dream of mine to go and order it. Not necessarily finish it, but just to take a photo with it, and attempt to eat away at it!!
(is anyone else obsessed with ordering lemon/lime soda with your pho?)
zoebartlett
Super_Ideal_Rock
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Bella_mezzo|1325127474|3090517 said:it's been almost 10 years since I lived in Boston (i am totally in denial about that!) I loved the Pho and rice crepe at Pho Pasteur in BostonWe used to get it at a couple other places too in boston and newton, but I can't remember their names now...I'll post again when I remember...
I had forgotten about Pho Pasteur. Thanks for letting me know, Bella!
I always tasted the slightest cinnamon in it and told hubby and he thought I was making it up!!! hehe
Regular Guy
Ideal_Rock
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madelise|1325453208|3093017 said:
It's $8.43 in Bethesda.
Also re salt / health...and all....I used to instead be very regular at Chipotle, getting their chicken bowls. At that earlier time, my doctor always told me I had water retention. But, since moving offices, and having a regular Pho restaurant lunch...no more water retention.
Ira Z.
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PintoBean, Skippy, you're very welcome.
Skippy, there's def cinnamon in Pho. It's one of the key ingredients, and you can def taste it as well as smell it in the broth.
Let me know how it goes, ladies. This recipe has been carried around in my brain and not written down. As mentioned, I've tried my best to translate it into pen and paper. I'd love to know how succesful (and hopefully not otherwise) you will be following it. Pls do not hesitate to ask Q's if anything is unclear.
Skippy, there's def cinnamon in Pho. It's one of the key ingredients, and you can def taste it as well as smell it in the broth.
Let me know how it goes, ladies. This recipe has been carried around in my brain and not written down. As mentioned, I've tried my best to translate it into pen and paper. I'd love to know how succesful (and hopefully not otherwise) you will be following it. Pls do not hesitate to ask Q's if anything is unclear.
HopeDream
Ideal_Rock
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Wow that recipe looks amazing!
I love Pho! If you're ever in Vancouver BC, Pho Nha Trang beside the Fraser Broadway bus stop (720 East Broadway) is fantastic. They also have really good sandwiches.
Vancouver has so many Pho restaurants! I think the rainy climate helps - nothing like a hearty steaming bowl to warm you up after a downpour.
I love Pho! If you're ever in Vancouver BC, Pho Nha Trang beside the Fraser Broadway bus stop (720 East Broadway) is fantastic. They also have really good sandwiches.
Vancouver has so many Pho restaurants! I think the rainy climate helps - nothing like a hearty steaming bowl to warm you up after a downpour.
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Thanks Phoenix! I'm going to work on collecting the ingredients and plan to try to make it after my kids go back to school. I'll let you know how it goes! Here's a question...can you freeze the broth and then defrost it and bring it up to a boil to serve? I like to make double recipes whenever possible so that I have reserves around when I'm too lazy to cook.
Gypsy
Super_Ideal_Rock
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Okay so I've been craving Pho for days thanks to this thread. I'm now campaigning for it for dinner. Dh is resisting. He wants burgers (we make great burgers at home and have all the fixings).
ETA: HAH! I got him to agree! YAY Pho for dinner.
ETA: HAH! I got him to agree! YAY Pho for dinner.
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heraanderson|1325488403|3093345 said:
No worries.
I don't know what's available in the US, but I've used different kinds and they're all seem to be ok. Sometimes you get some with tapioca flour and that's ok as long as the tapioca is only 10-15% and the main ingredient is still rice flour.
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yennyfire|1325557747|3093802 said:Thanks Phoenix! I'm going to work on collecting the ingredients and plan to try to make it after my kids go back to school. I'll let you know how it goes! Here's a question...can you freeze the broth and then defrost it and bring it up to a boil to serve? I like to make double recipes whenever possible so that I have reserves around when I'm too lazy to cook.
Hi Yenny. I've tried to do that myself and the short answer is yes, but it doesn't taste as good. Best to make it fresh.
Gypsy
Super_Ideal_Rock
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Ahhhh.... Just had a lovely dinner of Pho at a good CLEAN (many of the Pho places in town are not quite 'not clean') place locally.
Price for a bowl 6.65 plus tax.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pho-saigon-pasteur-vietnamese-noodle-house-fremont#query:pho
Price for a bowl 6.65 plus tax.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pho-saigon-pasteur-vietnamese-noodle-house-fremont#query:pho
Lovinggems
Ideal_Rock
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Can you cook the broth in a slow or pressure cooker?
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Lovinggems|1325582337|3093941 said:
Funny you should ask, cos we just bought a pressure cooker and tried to make some chicken soup with it, but the flavour is not great. Given that it was our first attempt, we're not drawing conclusion that it is the cooker and not us!
We'll give the pressure cooker another go and let you know how it goes. But my gut instinct is that the Pho won't taste as good. I mean there must be a reason for all the long slow cooking process - it's to draw out all the flavours, I would think.
Lovinggems
Ideal_Rock
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Phoenix|1325593080|3093962 said:Lovinggems|1325582337|3093941 said:
Funny you should ask, cos we just bought a pressure cooker and tried to make some chicken soup with it, but the flavour is not great. Given that it was our first attempt, we're not drawing conclusion that it is the cooker and not us!
We'll give the pressure cooker another go and let you know how it goes. But my gut instinct is that the Pho won't taste as good. I mean there must be a reason for all the long slow cooking process - it's to draw out all the flavours, I would think.
Thanks Phoenix, it'll be great if it works.
piratefan
Shiny_Rock
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Haven't been around much lately but have come back to look at every one's new pretties... accidentally click this forum and see this thread My dad came to US from VN and we only usually eat this at home when he makes it. However, decided to be brave and make this without him for the very first time last night! First attempt = semi success. Not as good as his (or my ba noi's especially), but that was to be expected. Regardless we ate it up! Phoenix your recipe looks very interesting, I had never seen any other bones besides beef in it before...gonna hafta make it again soon!
My dad came to US from VN and we only usually eat this at home when he makes it. However, decided to be brave and make this without him for the very first time last night! First attempt = semi success. Not as good as his (or my ba noi's especially), but that was to be expected. Regardless we ate it up! Phoenix your recipe looks very interesting, I had never seen any other bones besides beef in it before...gonna hafta make it again soon!
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piratefan|1325740811|3095514 said:Haven't been around much lately but have come back to look at every one's new pretties... accidentally click this forum and see this thread
Ha ha, if you are a "purist", you wouldn't put anything except beef & beef bones in it. I find that pork bones/ ribs add an extra dimension to the broth and make it more rich (as long as of course it's only a minor ingredient; the beef bones and beef should still be the main ingredient). It's totally optional but I've always made my Pho like this and I LOVE it, as does anyone else who eats it! I refuse to eat anyone else's Pho!
I hope you ladies who are trying my recipe come back and post a follow-up. I really wanna see how recipe goes (not the actual cooking as I know it's THE best, ha ha , but how the written recipe conveys the actual cooking).
tuffyluvr
Brilliant_Rock
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Phoenix|1325741334|3095520 said:piratefan|1325740811|3095514 said:Haven't been around much lately but have come back to look at every one's new pretties... accidentally click this forum and see this thread
Ha ha, if you are a "purist", you wouldn't put anything except beef & beef bones in it. I find that pork bones/ ribs add an extra dimension to the broth and make it more rich (as long as of course it's only a minor ingredient; the beef bones and beef should still be the main ingredient). It's totally optional but I've always made my Pho like this and I LOVE it, as does anyone else who eats it! I refuse to eat anyone else's Pho!
Thanks for the recipe Phoenix!!! Yum!!!
StacylikesSparkles
Brilliant_Rock
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I had some last night with my SO. Two large bowls were $18 in Maryland. So delish!
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HI:
Welllll, I tried Pho and it was beyond delish! The broth and the spicy lemongrass chicken and veggies were unreal--I only had a bite or two of the noodles but think I could become accustomed to eat this more often, PHO-sure!
cheers--Sharon
Welllll, I tried Pho and it was beyond delish! The broth and the spicy lemongrass chicken and veggies were unreal--I only had a bite or two of the noodles but think I could become accustomed to eat this more often, PHO-sure!
cheers--Sharon
zoebartlett
Super_Ideal_Rock
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I still haven't had a chance to try pho yet. There's one restaurant near me that has it but this place isn't the cleanest. I've heard their pho is great but I won't go there. I need to make my way to a place that's a bit further out.
Does pho have to be spicy or can you get it mild?
Does pho have to be spicy or can you get it mild?
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canuk-gal|1326671899|3103758 said:
Sharon, I'm happy you loved Pho on your first try. I'm just a bit intrigued, it doesn't/ shouldn't have lemongrass in it and shouldn't be spicy either (but of course one can add chillies and chilli sauce to make it spicy).
zoebartlett
Super_Ideal_Rock
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Thanks Phoenix! I had read Sharon's post which made me wonder if pho was a spicy dish.
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