A Simple Broth That's Packed With Flavor - Who loves Phở? Share your fave recipe or restaurant.

Phở is one of the tastiest soups I've had and yet I'm amazed at its sheer simplicity.   Phở has its origins in Vietnam and it's spices are as varied as are its influences.  It is believed that Phở has a French and Chinese connection.  Most sources concur that Phở was first created in Hanoi about a hundred years ago.  The most popular theories contend that it was the French who actually spawned its creation due to their love of meat and its use as a base ingredient in soups.  Still others will argue that is the Chinese who deserve all the credit.  Whoever it was, their inspiration led to a wonderful meal in a bowl that is being enjoyed across the US and across the world.  I even have an authentic little spot that I like to stop at when I'm visiting my family in Des Moines, Iowa. 

I've seen a number of recipes, but all have a similar vein - roasted spices, charred onions and ginger, beef and the ingredient the Vietnamese used to add their own touch and make this soup all their own - nuoc mam (fish sauce).  The most common spices used are star anise and dried clove, but if you want a little more flavor, you can also use things like cardamom pods, coriander seeds, Saigon cinnamon bark.  Wow!  You can imagine the mouth watering aroma that will fill your kitchen as the broth is simmering.  Such a great combination of spices can lead many to think that Phở is tough to make, but it's just a few simple steps from stove top to table!

I will give you the easy recipe teardown and include the actual recipe below so that you can try your hand at this popular Vietnamese meal.  Please let me know how it goes :)  I'd love to hear where you've found the best Phở or if you have a recipe you'd love to share.

Recipe Teardown:

1. Boil Water - You'll boil TWO pots of water - Pot #1 - large enough to hold final stock.  Pot #2 - large enough to quick boil bone marrow bones and beef.    Once you boil the bone marrow bones and beef on high for 5 minutes use tongs to transfer them to Pot #1.  You will use Pot #1 for the rest of the process.

2. Roast Veggies and Spices - Over a gas burner you'll roast the onion and ginger to give them a good char and to release the aromas.  Give them a quick rinse.  In a medium skillet/pan you'll roast the spices to release their aromas. 

3. Simmer the stock - Add the remaining ingredients like sugar, salt and nuoc mam.  Simmer for about 1.5 hours - until meat is tender - skimming the foam throughout.  Then transfer meat into a bowl of cold water for 15 min.  Add 2 cups of water to the stock.  You'll place all the spices into a dampened spice bag (you can make a homemade pouch from dampened cheesecloth and tie it closed).  You then add the onion, ginger and spice bag into your stock (Pot#2).  Simmer for 1 hour then remove onion, ginger and spice bag.  Add salt to taste and keep at low simmer.

4.  Prepare Garnish and Noodles - Rinse the bean sprouts and place in a bowl for serving, thinly slice up a yellow onion, cut stems and rinse a bunch of cilantro, rinse a bunch of Asian Basil and saw-leaf herb (ngo gai), slice up some green Thai chilies and cut wedges of lime.  Cook the noodles.

5. ENJOY!  Return the stock to a boil.  Place the garnishes at the table.  You can also have Sriachia and hoisin sauce on hand.  Serve up the noodles in a bowl and top with thinly sliced raw sirloin (or slices of the cooked beef or both) and pour a ladle of the HOT stock over it.  The thinly sliced sirloin will cook in the stock. Garnish up your soup and eat!

 The following recipe is one that was shared by Mai Pham  who is the chef/owner of Lemon Grass Restaurant and Cafe in Sacramento and author of ``The Best of Vietnamese and Thai Cooking.''  Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1997/11/05/FD48543.DTL#ixzz0h2Y245FF

VIETNAMESE BEEF NOODLE SOUP (PHO BO)

You can prepare the beef broth in advance and assemble just before serving.

INGREDIENTS:

The Broth -- 5 pounds beef marrow bones -- A 3-pound chuck roast -- 2 (4-inch) pieces fresh ginger, unpeeled -- 1 large yellow onion, peeled -- 1/3 cup Asian fish sauce -- 5 tablespoons sugar -- 8 whole star anise -- 3 whole cloves -- 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste

Noodles & Assembly

-- 1/2 pound beef sirloin steak, slightly frozen, then sliced paper thin -- 1 1/2 pounds fresh or dried flat rice stick noodles (about 1/8 inch wide) -- 1 yellow onion, sliced paper thin -- 4 green onions, chopped -- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro -- 1 pound bean sprouts -- 20 sprigs Asian basil -- 20 leaves saw-leaf herb (optional) -- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai bird chiles, or thinly sliced serrano chiles -- 2 limes, cut into thin wedges -- Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS: Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large stockpot (FeistyFeaster's NOTE: I refer to this as Pot #1 in my recipe teardown).

Place the bones and chuck roast in a separate pot (FeistyFeaster's NOTE: I refer to this as Pot #2  in my recipe teardown) with water to cover; bring to a boil and boil vigorously for 5 minutes. Using tongs, remove the bones and meat and add to the first pot of boiling water. When the water returns to a boil, reduce to a simmer.

Using metal tongs, hold the ginger and onion over a gas burner until slightly blackened and aromatic. (If you have an electric stove, dry-roast the ginger and onion in a skillet.) Rinse the ginger and onion and add them to the pot with the meat and bones.

Add the fish sauce and sugar to the pot. Simmer, skimming off the foam, until the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the chuck roast and submerge in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes. This prevents the meat from darkening and drying out. Place the star anise and cloves in a dampened spice bag and add to the broth. Add 2 cups water to the pot. Simmer for 1 hour, then remove and discard the spice bag and onion. (Cooking the spices too long makes the broth dark and pungent.) Add the salt to the broth and keep at a low simmer while preparing the noodles. The broth should be rich enough to serve after 2 1/2 hours total cooking time. It will taste salty, but will balance once the noodles and accompaniments are added.

Noodles and Assembly: Cut half of the roast into thin slices; reserve the remaining roast for another use. Cut the partially frozen sirloin into thin slices. Place the sliced chuck and sirloin on separate plates and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place a handful of fresh noodles (enough for 1 serving) in a sieve and lower into the boiling water. Using a fork or chopsticks, stir for 15 seconds, then lift and shake off excess water. (If using dried noodles, soak them in warm water for 20 minutes. Cook them all at once until al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse extremely well in warm water.) Divide the noodles among heated serving bowls. Arrange a few slices of roast and sirloin on the noodles in each bowl.

Bring the beef broth to a rolling boil. Season with salt (if necessary) and pepper. Ladle 2 to 3 cups into each bowl. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon sliced yellow onion, 1 tablespoon green onions, 1 tablespoon cilantro and pepper to taste. Let diners garnish their bowls with bean sprouts, Asian basil, saw- leaf herb, chiles and squeeze of lime as desired. Serves 6 to 8.

PER SERVING: 390 calories, 28 g protein, 51 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat (2 g saturated), 66 mg cholesterol, 1592 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.

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