Vietnamese beef and noodle soup is a one-dish meal
Having written two books on soups, I know my way around a soup pot. I love soups made with any kind of noodles, and rice noodles are the stars in this Vietnamese soup. Pho, pronounced “fuh” (like duh), is a popular noodle soup that many consider to be the national dish of Vietnam.
There are many stories about how pho became a Vietnamese classic dish. Literary accounts suggest that pho originated in the north in Hanoi in the mid-1880s. Others debate that the French influence can be seen in the beef broth, similar to pot au feu. Saigon popularized pho in the late ’50s, stamping its flavor profile on the soup. You can also see the Chinese influence through such Asian ingredients as star anise pods, cilantro and fresh ginger.
“The Pho Cookbook” by Andrea Nguyen (Ten Speed Press, $22) offers the reader a world of pho recipes. This cozy bowl of comfort comes in all versions. If you are interested in trying out different styles, this book is for you. It also describes in great detail the ingredients, equipment, unusual broth techniques and bowl assembly tips. Nguyen promises that “if you can boil water, you can master Vietnam’s national dish.” There are sections for simple, fast, meatless and old-school stunners.
I developed my pho version when I wanted a one-dish meal with some exotic flavor. If you have the broth cooked ahead, it takes little time to put this together and will be a welcome surprise to your family and friends. The base is a strong beef broth perfumed with star anise, peppercorns and ginger. Look for a good quality beef broth in your local supermarket; or, if you have the time, make it yourself.
Translucent rice noodles float in the bowl topped by thin beef slices and sauteed sweet and crisp shallots. Some cooks add beef meatballs, but sprigs of fresh Thai basil, mint and cilantro always accompany pho. Bean sprouts, chiles and fresh squirts of lime also are added for a burst of flavor.
Some people prefer the hot sauce squirted into the soup, but I like to add a spoonful of hoisin for another layer of Asian flavor. Look for many of these ingredients at an Asian grocery store.