Pho is a beloved Vietnamese soup that gained popularity in the West after the Vietnam War. It is a comforting and flavorful dish consisting of spiced broth, rice noodles, fresh herbs, and thinly sliced meat. While it may seem daunting to make pho at home, it is surprisingly easy, especially if you have some beef stock on hand. This recipe allows you to create a delicious bowl of pho in no time, perfect for a quick and satisfying weeknight meal.
The beauty of pho lies in its simplicity and versatility. As the beef stock warms on your stove, it absorbs the aromatic flavors of coriander, fennel, cinnamon, and cloves, infusing the broth with a delightful fragrance. Meanwhile, you can prepare the classic accompaniments of hot peppers, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and lime, adding a burst of freshness and crunch to the soup.
Enjoy the comforting flavors of homemade pho, savoring the balance of rich broth, tender meat, fragrant herbs, and satisfying rice noodles. This versatile and delicious dish is sure to become a favorite in your culinary repertoire.
Now, let’s explore the recipe for homemade pho, where you’ll learn how to create a soul-warming bowl of this Vietnamese delight.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1½ pounds top sirloin
- 1 yellow onion, halved
- 1 (3-inch) knob fresh ginger, halved
- 2 pods star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick, about 3 inches long
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 whole cloves
- 2 quarts Long-Simmered Roasted Beef Bone Broth
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 1 (8-ounce) package dried Vietnamese-style flat rice noodles
- 4 green onions, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch-wide slices
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 bunch Thai basil
- 1 bunch mint
- 2 limes, quartered lengthwise
- 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- ¼ cup Sriracha sauce
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place the meat in the freezer for easier slicing later on.
- In a 4-quart pot, combine the yellow onion, ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, and pour the beef bone broth over them. Add the fish sauce and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- While the broth simmers, soak the rice noodles in a deep mixing bowl filled with boiling water. Let them sit until tender but not mushy, approximately 10 minutes. Drain the noodles in a colander.
- As the rice noodles soak and the broth simmers, prepare the serving platter. Arrange the green onions on the platter and separate the leaves of cilantro, Thai basil, and mint from their stems. Place the herbs, bean sprouts, lime wedges, and sliced jalapeños on the platter alongside the green onions.
- Retrieve the meat from the freezer and slice it against the grain into thin pieces. Arrange the sliced meat in a small bowl. Serve the hoisin sauce and Sriracha sauce in separate bowls.
- In each of the four individual serving bowls, create a nest with about one-quarter of the rice noodles. Strain approximately 1½ cups of the simmering broth over the noodles in each bowl, ensuring no spices from the broth make their way into the bowls.
- Serve the bowls of steaming-hot noodle soup and encourage everyone at the table to customize their pho by adding herbs, peppers, meat, and sauces according to their taste preferences.
