Pho {Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup}
Fragrant beef broth made aromatic by simmering with toasted spices, ginger, and scallions poured over paper thin slices of beef on top of rice noodles are good enough by themselves, but with the traditional Pho toppings of bean sprouts, fresh cilantro and basil, thin slices of hot peppers (if you're brave), and a squeeze of lime, you're absolutely in another world; a world where everything is a taste explosion! No noodle soup will ever be able to compare again after jumping on the Pho train!
Ingredients
For 1 quart of the Broth:
- 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds do not substitute ground coriander here. It will not work.
- 1 cinnamon stick roughly broken
- 4 whole star anise
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 quart beef broth
- 1 piece of ginger 3-inch size, roughly chopped
- 1 bunch of scallions or green onions reserve the green parts for garnishing the soup, white parts only
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
For assembling and garnishing each bowl of Pho:
- 1-5 slices fresh jalapeno pepper depending on your spice tolerance
- 1 handful pho rice noodles soaked or cooked according to package directions
- 1/8-1/4 pound flank steak sliced paper thin
- 1 generous handful bean sprouts
- sliced scallions or green onions to taste green parts only
- several sprigs of fresh basil
- sprigs of fresh cilantro
- 1-3 lime wedges
- sriracha and/or hoisin sauce to taste
Instructions
- Place a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium low heat. Add all of the spices and stir them until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully add the beef broth; it will sputter quite a bit. Turn the heat to high and add the remaining broth ingredients. When it reaches a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into another saucepot or soup pot. Keep it at a simmer while you assemble your bowls and garnishes.
To Assemble and Garnish Each Bowl of Pho:
- Lay desired amount of jalapeno slices in the bottom of each bowl. Top with a generous amount of rice noodles. Drape the beef evenly over the noodles and pour the boiling broth over top. Give a quick stir to help cook the beef, then pile on bean sprouts, sliced scallions (green onions), basil, and cilantro. Squeeze a couple of lime wedges and let them rest in the broth to lend to the flavour. Serve with sriracha and/or hoisin sauce. It's best to serve this the traditional way: with chopsticks AND a soup spoon. You can use a fork in lieu of chopsticks if you wish. Slurping is encouraged!
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 16gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 958mgPotassium: 390mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 180IUVitamin C: 22.5mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 2.3mg
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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