If you can imagine beef noodle soup for breakfast, then you definitely want to try Pho, a Vietnamese dish that has been around for almost 100 years. I find my site leans more and more towards ethnic dishes that are loaded with big, bold flavors, and that make eating what it should be – an experience!

Pho (pronounced “phir” in English) is influenced by Chinese and French cuisines, and was originally believed to be derived from a French soup, “pot au feu,” (pot on fire) that Wikipedia defines as a French beef stew. This is usually a mix of cuts of beef, vegetables, and spices.

Pho had its humble beginnings almost 100 years ago, and at the time it was basically boiled meat, broth, and noodles. Since then it has become much more than that. During the war in Viet Nam, when beef was in short supply, a pork version (pho lon) evolved.

The combination of the French and Chinese occupation has resulted in a unique and diverse cuisine that is admired by many. When the Vietnamese fled to the US in 1975, they brought their unique cuisine and heritage to the United States. This is how we were introduced to Pho…

As a Vietnam vet, I’m probably a bit more familiar with Southeast Asian cuisine than most. I also worked for many years with a large population of Vietnamese while doing vocational rehabilitation. As a result, I enjoy Eastern cuisine. It’s spicy, often spicy, and it’s also very healthy.

Here is a basic recipe for Pho. I’ve been spending more time with my brother lately after mom passed away. Howard, also a Vietnam vet, and I talk a lot about the culture there and the great foods that can be enjoyed. He also loves hot spicy and bold foods from the Orient…

We are used to meals of bacon and eggs, French toast, sausage, big slices of ham for breakfast. All loaded with grams of fat and too much cholesterol. Do yourself a favor and try Pho one of these mornings…

Enjoy!

Gather these ingredients:

3 medium yellow onions, unpeeled (about 1 pound)

4-inch unpeeled ginger (about 4 ounces)

5 to 6 pounds beef soup bones (leg and knuckle bones; have butcher cut into sections of 2-3)

1 pound flank steak. cut into bite-sized pieces.

aniseed 5 stars

6 whole teeth

3 inch cinnamon stick

1 1/2 tablespoons of salt

1/4 cup hot chili sauce

2 tablespoons of fish sauce

freshly ground black pepper

1 ounce of rock sugar (duong phen) or 1 tablespoon of white sugar

For the bowl itself:

1/2 lb round steak or sirloin

1 tablespoon chopped coriander

2 14-ounce packages small (1/8-inch wide) banh pho noodles dried or fresh

2-3 spring onions, with green tops, cut into small rings.

2 cups of fresh bean sprouts

2 limes cut into wedges

1 bunch of fresh mint

1 bunch fresh or regular Asian basil

2 fresh chilies, thinly sliced ​​(Thai dragon or bird preferred)

To make the broth:

Char 2 of the onions (reserve the other onion for the bowl preparation) and the ginger over an open flame to release the essential oils and fragrances. You don’t need to blacken them, just char them to soften them up. (This can be done under a broiler if a flame is not available.) Remove the skin and blackened bits from the onions and ginger, remove the stem ends from the onions and discard. Set aside.

In a large pot, place the leg bones and enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and boil for approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and rinse under cold running water. Clean the pot well and return the cleaned bones to the pot. Add 6 quarts of water, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Add the onions, ginger, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, chopped brisket, salt, fish sauce, and powdered sugar. Simmer about 1 1/2 hours and remove flank steak. (Steak should be cooked, but chewy) Cool steak in a bowl of cold water to prevent it from drying out and browning. Chilled skirt steak. Continue to cook the broth over low heat for about 3 hours, skimming the dross and fat from the broth from time to time and stirring the bones from time to time.

When done, strain the broth through double folded cheesecloth in a colander to remove any impurities and bits of tendon. Discard the bones. To make the Pho preparation that much easier, refrigerate the broth overnight. When cold, any excess fat can be easily skimmed from the cold broth. The idea here is to have a very clear, fat-free broth.

To prepare the bowls:

Cut the sirloin or ribeye against the grain into very thin slices.

(Freezing for half an hour makes it easier)

Thinly sliced ​​cooked flank steak

Bring broth to a boil over medium heat.

Blanch the noodles in 3-4 quarts of boiling water and use a strainer to remove each portion from the bowl. Blanching should only take 10-20 seconds, until the noodles have lost their stiffness and are easy to handle.

If using fresh noodles, simply unravel and rinse under cold water.

Blanch the bean sprouts in the same water until softened but crisp.

Fill each bowl about 1/4 full with noodles, place cooked flank steak and slices of raw sirloin or round steak on top of noodles. Garnish this with sliced ​​scallions, thinly sliced ​​onions, and chopped cilantro.

Serve the seasoned broth in a bowl. The idea here is for the boiling broth to cook the thinly sliced ​​raw steak. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

A side dish is served with the full Pho. It is customary for the diner to pluck the leaves from the stem of the basil and mint to season their food. Take thinly sliced ​​bell peppers, stir them into the soup for added flavor. Add the slice of pepper if you like it very spicy. The lime wedges are used to add acidity to the soup. Bean sprouts are also used as a garnish.

This variation of Pho is typically served in South Vietnam. In the North, Pho is a much simpler dish, without many of the ingredients found in this recipe. In the north, Pho is served without herbs or bean sprouts. The green chiles and lime are only used as seasonings. In the south, Pho can be served with a dozen different toppings.

Pho has become very popular in the United States. At last count, there are over 500 Pho restaurants spread across the US Pho is often served with spring rolls and egg rolls.

see my site [http://www.allthebestrecipes.com] for this and many more exciting recipes from around the world…