Does anybody know a good Vietnamese Recipe for Pho?

Question

Please answer this if you truly know what pho is...

Thanks- James

Answer 1

PHO. (VIETNAMESE BEEF SOUP)  

5 c. beef stock

1" piece of fresh ginger root

3 Star Anise

2 scallions

3 tbsp. fish sauce

TO FINISH THE SOUP:

2 scallions

1 onion

12 basil leaves

6-8 oz. beef tenderloin or sirloin, partially frozen

FOR THE GARNISH:

2 c. fresh mung bean sprouts

8 sprig fresh mint or basil

2 fresh jalapeno or Serrano chiles, thinly sliced

1 lime, quartered

Hoisin sauce

Hot chili sauce

8 oz. rice sticks (dried rice noodles available at supermarkets)

Soak the rice sticks in warm water for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the broth and simmer for 15 minutes, then strain. Thinly slice the scallion, onion and basil leaves. Slice the beef as thinly as possible across the grain. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Arrange the bean sprouts, mint sprigs, chiles and lime on a platter.

Just before serving, bring the broth to a boil. Cook the rice sticks in boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain. Cut the noodles in a few places. Divide noodles amount 4 large bowls. Arrange the scallions, onion slices and beef on top. Ladle broth on top. The heat of the liquid should be sufficient to cook the beef.

Serve this soup at once, passing the garnish platter from guest to guest. Let each person add sprouts, mint, chiles, lime, hoisin sauce and/or chili sauce to taste.

Answer 2

Beef Pho --

"Authentic South Vietnamese Style Pho. A comforting richly seasoned beef broth is ladled over rice noodles and thinly sliced beef. Add hot sauce and plum sauce to taste and top with cilantro, basil, lime juice and bean sprouts."

INGREDIENTS

5 pounds beef knuckle, with meat

2 pounds beef oxtail

1 white (daikon) radish, sliced

2 onions, chopped

2 ounces whole star anise pods

1/2 cinnamon stick

2 whole cloves

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 slice fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon fish sauce

  

1 1/2 pounds dried flat rice noodles

1/2 pound frozen beef sirloin

  

TOPPINGS:

sriracha hot pepper sauce

hoisin sauce

thinly sliced onion

chopped fresh cilantro

bean sprouts (mung beans)

sweet Thai basil

thinly sliced green onion

limes, quartered



DIRECTIONS

Place the beef knuckle in a very large (9 quart or more) pot. Season with salt, and fill pot with 2 gallons of water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 2 hours.

Skim fat from the surface of the soup, and add the oxtail, radish and onions. Tie the anise pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns and ginger in a cheesecloth or place in a spice bag; add to the soup. Stir in sugar, salt and fish sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat for at least 4 more hours (the longer, the better). At the end of cooking, taste, and add salt as needed. Strain broth, and return to the pot to keep at a simmer. Discard spices and bones. Reserve meat from the beef knuckle for other uses if desired.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Soak the rice noodles in water for about 20 minutes, then cook in boiling water until soft, but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Slice the frozen beef paper thin. The meat must be thin enough to cook instantly.

Place some noodles into each bowl, and top with a few raw beef slices. Ladle boiling broth over the beef and noodles in the bowl. Serve with hoisin sauce and sriracha sauce on the side. Set onion, cilantro, bean sprouts, basil, green onions, and lime out at the table for individuals to add toppings to their liking.  

Answer 3

Phó

(Vietnamese Beef-Noodle Soup)

½ pound phó rice noodles (these can be the real thing, banh phó, or rice sticks or any rice noodle at all. If you use wheat-based vermicelli or capelli d'angelo, it will still be good, but it won't really be phó)

8 cups light spiced beef stock (if you don't have time to make this hyperlinked vietnamese beef stock recipe, you can do a quick approximation by diluting a commercial beef stock--bouillon cube, can, or soup base--and simmering crushed ginger chunks, sliced onions, 2 star anise, a bay leaf, and fennel seeds in the broth for 15-30 minutes, then straining)

1 Tablespoon lime juice

2-3 Tablespoons nuoc mam or other Southeast Asian fish sauce (see entry under fish)

¾ pound slab of boneless beef (top round is fine), partially frozen then sliced into paper thin slices

Accompaniments: ¼ cup green onions, sliced; ½ cup small-leaf basil; 2 cups fresh beansprouts; 6 lime slices; finely sliced jalapeno peppers; and nuoc mam.

Cook the noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain (or follow package directions for whatever noodles you're using).

Heat spiced beef stock, lime juice, and nuoc mam in a large non-aluminum saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer the broth for about 30 minutes.

Arrange green onions, basil, bean sprouts, chiles, and lime slices on a platter.

When ready to serve, distribute the noodles evenly among the deep bowls, then top with meat slices. Pour the hot broth over both, filling the bowl, and serve immediately, with porcelain spoons and chopsticks and with the platter of accompaniments, nuoc mam, and chili sauce on the side