The birth of phở occurred at the height of French colonisation, at the end of the 19th century. Beef was more readily available in Vietnam as a result of French demand. As a result, there were too many beef bones, which Chinese and Vietnamese vendors used to enhance and perfect the flavour of the Nam Dinh broth.

Flavoured with fish sauce and carrying a salty undertone, a bowl of Vietnamese Phở can be that jolt of piquant you’ve been looking for all along. Softened with lime juice, fresh herbs, and chillies, this warm goodness can be customised as per your taste and liking. 

Phở has more than earned its right to be respected as one of the most well-known noodle dishes in the world. For this phở recipe, we’ll be using beef, you can even use chicken if red meat isn’t your thing. 

Vietnamese Phở

Preparation time: 1 hour 15 minutes
2 large or 4 medium bowls

For pho broth
1 large white onion, peeled and halved

3-inch piece of fresh ginger (halved lengthwise)

5 star anise

4 whole cloves

3 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

2 cardamom pods

1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds

8 cups of good-quality beef stock (or chicken or vegetable stock)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons fish sauce

fine sea salt, to taste

For soup

8 ounces raw steak (very thinly sliced)

7 ounces uncooked thin rice noodles

garnishes: fresh herbs (coriander, mint, and/or Thai basil), bean sprouts, lime wedges, thinly-sliced chillies (Thai bird chillies or jalapeños), thinly-sliced onions (green onions or white onions), sauces (hoisin and/or sriracha)

Place the baking rack about 8 inches from the heating elements and turn the oven’s broiler to high. On a baking sheet, arrange the onion and ginger cut-side up and drizzle with a little oil. The onion and ginger should be broiled for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until the tops are just starting to sear. Take out and place aside.

For about 3 minutes, over medium-high heat, toast the coriander, anise, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom until fragrant. Stir the stock, ginger, and charred onion together. Cook the broth a little longer until it simmers. 

Turn the heat down to medium-low, add a lid, and simmer for at least 30 minutes more. The spices, onions, and ginger should be strained out and discarded. The boiling broth should now contain the fish sauce and sugar. Finally, give the soup the last tasting and add salt if necessary.

Cook the noodles separately until al dente per the directions on the package while the broth simmers. The noodles should be drained in a colander and gently rinsed with cold water to stop them from continuing to cook. (Tip: Drizzle sesame oil over the noodles to prevent sticking.)

A few noodles should be laid in each serving bowl. Divide the meat among the serving bowls. Then, while the stock is still simmering, spoon it into the serving bowls, making sure to completely submerge the steak so that it cooks. Each bowl is topped with an abundance of garnishes, and the dish is completed with a squeeze of lime juice.

Stir the garnishes into the soup so that they can flavour the broth, also add additional sauces if desired.