A nourishing soup made with flat rice noodles, Pho Bo soup (pronounced “phuh”) is popular throughout Vietnam. Now you can enjoy a bowl of delicious Vietnamese Pho Noodle Soup with this fool-proof receipt. It is such a quick way to feed the family and so super easy to make!
Ingredients:
Beef Broth:
• 1 2-inch stick ginger
• 1/2 large onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 4 inch piece of cinnamon bark
• 1 whole cardamom
• 3 liters water
• 500 gram Beef brisket
• 2 pounds beef bones
• 12 cups water
• 6 star anise
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 pound lean, tender beef
• 1/2 lb. pork bones or 1-2 pieces of beef bones
• Meatballs from Asian grocery store
• 1/4 cup sugar
Noodles:
phobo31 – 16 oz. package of pho/phad thai rice noodles (the thinner the better)
Garnish:
• 3 scallions (spring onion), finely sliced
• 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 10 cilantro sprigs (coriander), finely chopped
• 50 gram bean sprouts, blanched
• 10 springs Thai basil leaves
• 10 springs of fresh cilantro
• fresh red or green chili pepper, thinly sliced
• Accompaniments
• lime (cut into wedgesfish sauce)
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons chili sauce
• 4 Thai parsley leaves, chopped
• 4 Red chilies, chopped
Preparation:
Step 1 – Prepare Bones for Base Soup
Wash beef bones, place in a large soup pot and add water to cover.
Bring to a boil and immediately pour off this “first boiling” water and discard.
When the water boils, turn off heat.
Remove bones carefully and rinse them off under cold water.
Step 2 – Make Base Soup
You can make this base soup a day in advance, after it is completely cooled, then store it in refrigerator.
Place cleaned bones from step 1 in large pot.
Broil onion and ginger until they look burned. Using back of cleaver, smash the ginger and set aside.
phobo4Add another 12 cups of fresh water and again bring to a boil. The amount of water needed is based on the number of servings you are making.
Bring it to a boil and then reduce to medium/low heat. Skim off any scum from surface.
Add the broiled onion and ginger, star anise, salt and sugar. Add beef brisket.Over medium-low heat, simmer for 30 minutes.
Slice raw beef into thin strips and set aside.
Add a pinch of salt, grilled, ginger, onions and shallots, star anise and cinnamon.
Add oriental meatballs (or fish balls) to base soup.
Add salt to your taste.
Reheat soup until meatballs are heated through.
Return broth pot to heat. Boil with Nuoc Mam then reduce heat to very low.
Step 3: Cook the noodle
Fill a separate big pot three-quarters full of water and boil, add noodles and rinsed bean sprouts.
Continue cooking until noodles are tender but not mushy. Bean sprouts should retain some crispness.
Step 4: Serve it up
Divide noodles among 4 to 6 large individual serving bowls.
Arrange thinly sliced raw beef, scallions, onion, and cilantro on top. Pour boiling hot broth to cover noodles and serve immediately. The boiling broth will cook the thin slices of beef.
